Topic: PRAGATI Platform and Governance Reforms

 

Syllabus Mapping

• GS Paper 2: Important aspects of Governance, Transparency and Accountability, E-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential.

• GS Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

 

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently chaired the 50th meeting of PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation), marking a decade of the platform's operation. He emphasized the mantra of "Reform, Perform, and Transform" while reviewing infrastructure projects worth over ₹40,000 crore.

 

Key Highlights

• 50th Meeting Milestone:

  • The platform has accelerated projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore over the past decade.

  • Success Rate: Out of 3,162 issues identified across 377 projects reviewed since 2014, around 94% (2,958 issues) have been resolved.

• Projects Reviewed:

  • Five critical infrastructure projects across Road, Railways, Power, Water Resources, and Coal were reviewed.

  • PM SHRI Schools: The PM directed that these schools should become national benchmarks for holistic and future-ready education, emphasizing outcome-oriented implementation rather than just infrastructure.

• Governance Philosophy:

  • "Reform, Perform, Transform": Reform means simplifying procedures; Perform means focusing on time, cost, and quality; Transform means measurable outcomes in citizens' "Ease of Living".

  • Cooperative Federalism: The platform breaks "silo-based functioning" by bringing Central Secretaries and State Chief Secretaries on a single platform.

 

Critical Analysis

• Significance:

  • Indian bureaucracy is notoriously plagued by "departmentalism" where files get stuck between ministries. PRAGATI forces a tri-partite dialogue (PMO, Union Secretaries, Chief Secretaries) to resolve bottlenecks in real-time.

• Accountability Mechanism:

  • The direct involvement of the PM creates a "demonstration effect." Senior officials are compelled to come prepared with solutions rather than excuses, significantly reducing cost and time overruns.

• Challenge - Centralization:

  • Critics argue that PRAGATI reinforces a PM-centric administrative culture, potentially bypassing respective Ministers or undermining the autonomy of lower-level bureaucracy. It relies heavily on the personality of the leader rather than institutional mechanisms at the grassroots.

 

Value Addition:

• Global Case Study: A recent study by the University of Oxford’s (titled "From Gridlock to Growth") profiled PRAGATI as a successful model of "inclusive digital governance." It highlighted how the platform uses a unique combination of three technologies: Digital Data Management, Video Conferencing, and Geo-Spatial Technology (using ISRO satellite data) to visualize project ground realities.

 

Mains Question

Q. "The PRAGATI platform represents a shift from 'process-driven' to 'outcome-driven' governance." Discuss how this platform helps in strengthening cooperative federalism and resolving infrastructure bottlenecks. What are its limitations? (250 words)

 

Preliminary Question

With reference to the PRAGATI platform, consider the following statements:

1. It is an administrative platform launched by the PMO in 2015.

2. It is a three-tier system comprising the Prime Minister, Union Government Secretaries, and Chief Secretaries of the States.

3. The platform exclusively monitors Central Sector Schemes and does not review State-level projects.

4. It integrates public grievances from CPGRAMS for review by the Prime Minister.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(A) 1 and 3 only

(B) 2 and 4 only

(C) 2, 3 and 4 only

(D) 1, 2 and 4 only

 

Answer: (D) Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: PRAGATI is an administrative platform launched by the PMO in 2015.

• Statement 2 is correct: It brings together the PM, Union Secretaries, and Chief Secretaries.

• Statement 3 is incorrect: It reviews important programmes of the Government of India as well as projects flagged by State Governments.

• Statement 4 is correct: It integrates the database of CPGRAMS (for grievances), Project Monitoring Group (PMG), and MoSPI.