Modi delivers on lean, efficient governance |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken another bold and transformational step in ordering the first and full overhaul of the Indian government functioning. As an important and massive exercise the Department of Expenditure has reviewed 231 entities of the government which include 120 autonomous bodies of more than 23 government Ministries and Departments. In a landmark recommendation to the Cabinet Secretariat, the Department has suggested that 83 of the 231 autonomous bodies be retained and 117 merged into just 29. It is proposed that the government should disengage from 20 entities, and 7 autonomous bodies be shut down and only 111 autonomous bodies remain functional. This meets the Modi objective of liberalization, cutting red tape and furthering the aim of minimum government, maximum governance, and economical, efficient use of public funds. In the 2016 Union budget speech, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a task force had been constituted for rationalisation of human resources in various ministries. He also contemplated a comprehensive review and rationalisation of autonomous bodies. NITI Aayog, government`s policy think tank, had constituted a committee in January 2017 under the chairmanship of the principal adviser, NITI Aayog, to review the autonomous bodies and make recommendations for enhancing their functioning. In its draft interim report, the committee recommended setting up umbrella structures of autonomous bodies wherein a group of similar institutions may be brought together under an overarching framework. The objective of this approach is to bring about greater efficiency, better oversight, standardization and mentoring support.
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