Citizen welfare must remain at heart of all reforms: PM Modi
New Delhi, July 22
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told the top officials of the Central government at a high‑level meeting that the welfare of citizens must remain at the heart of all reforms.
PM Modi said reforms designed around people's needs should gather real momentum and deliver meaningful transformation.
He highlighted that the objective of reforms was not merely to improve the functioning of the government, but to accelerate India's journey towards becoming a developed nation, according to a PMO statement issued after the meeting.
The meeting with the Cabinet Secretary and Secretaries of key ministries, at the Prime Minister's residence on 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, was held to review the progress of rural development, agriculture, social welfare and allied sectors towards Viksit Bharat Goals, the statement said.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for a whole‑of‑government approach to achieve the nation's development goals.
He further emphasised that the dream to build a Viksit Bharat should become a Jan Andolan and that India's youth should form the foundation of this vision.
PM Modi underscored the importance of tackling the serious issue of drug abuse among youth. He suggested that efforts should be made to develop an institutional mechanism to break departmental silos and foster greater inter‑departmental coordination and convergence in youth‑centric initiatives.
He further emphasised the need to adopt an integrated approach for the development of sports. He noted that, with sports tourism emerging as a key focus area, India should aspire to host major international sporting events to establish itself as a global sports hub.
He stressed the importance of promoting technology and fostering innovation through startups in the sports sector.
The Prime Minister highlighted that governance systems are witnessing rapid changes and stressed the importance of adapting and strengthening governance processes to effectively meet the needs of a dynamic and evolving environment.
He suggested undertaking a comprehensive mapping of emerging requirements across various Ministries and Departments.
He underscored that the widespread adoption of initiatives such as the PM KUSUM Scheme by farmers can bring transformative changes to the agriculture sector.
He further stressed the need for a global mapping of skill requirements to ensure better alignment with international opportunities and future needs.
The Secretaries shared their experiences and perspectives on various initiatives and challenges in their respective domains. The Prime Minister shared his suggestions and his vision for the future course of action. The meeting was marked by comprehensive and productive discussions across the sectors, focusing on effective implementation, greater convergence and accelerated progress towards the goals of Viksit Bharat, the statement added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally a focus on drug abuse among youth! This is a serious issue in Punjab and many other states. Need strict action and rehabilitation programs. Also, the idea of sports tourism and hosting big events is great for creating jobs and global recognition. 🇮🇳
Interesting vision. The 'whole-of-government' approach is what many countries talk about but rarely achieve. India's youth demographic dividend is real—investing in them through sports, skills, and innovation is smart. Hope the focus on inter-departmental coordination actually works.
Viksit Bharat should indeed become a Jan Andolan! But for that, we need more transparency and citizen participation in planning. The mapping of skill requirements globally is a good step—our IT and engineering talent needs better alignment with world markets.
PM Modi is right that reforms around people's needs will drive real transformation. But I hope this isn't just another meeting with no follow-up. The secretaries shared their views—now we need concrete timelines and public accountability. Also, sports infrastructure in smaller towns needs massive upgrade.
The drug abuse mention is critical. In many Western countries, youth addiction is a crisis. India can learn from our mistakes by building strong prevention and treatment systems early. The sports push is also timely—India has huge potential in cricket, hockey, and even e-sports.
M We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.