PM Modi has asked Secretaries to build a mass movement for Viksit Bharat@2047 on the lines of the mobilisation seen during the freedom struggle by Mahatma Gandhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out an expansive roadmap for the government, calling for a shift from a department-driven approach to a “whole of government” model, while seeking to turn the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision into a mass movement involving young people, schools, industry and even senior citizens.
The action points emerged from the Prime Minister’s interaction with Secretaries to the Government of India last month. The Cabinet Secretary has now listed them in a detailed letter to all Secretaries — a copy of which has been accessed by CNN-NEWS18.
The directions span areas as varied as sports, skilling, agriculture, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, government procurement, employment abroad and administrative reform.
At the heart of the discussion was the idea that Viksit Bharat@2047 cannot remain a government programme. It must become a goal embraced by ordinary citizens.
The government has been asked to pursue this through two routes: building a mass movement on the lines of the mobilisation seen during the freedom struggle, and creating a youth movement through programmes in universities and colleges.
The My Bharat campaign and portal have also been identified as possible platforms to tackle drug addiction among young people, including through a motivational system aimed at keeping young people away from drugs.
The 2036 Olympics Begin In Schools
Sports emerged as another major focus, with an interesting generational calculation: the children who will represent India at the 2036 Olympics are currently only five to ten years old.
The government has therefore been asked to encourage schools, colleges and even younger children to participate in sports competitions and showcase their achievements at different levels.
The approach is not to leave sports to the Sports Ministry alone. The Prime Minister has called for a “whole of government” effort, with the Sports and Tourism ministries working together to develop sports tourism.
MSMEs, technology departments and startups have also been asked to find ways to contribute to the development and promotion of sports.
The government has also suggested sporting competitions at workplaces, both to promote a sporting culture and strengthen team-building.
Another major thrust is to bring vocational skills into the school curriculum itself.
The government wants opportunities for skill development to be provided at the school level, while ITI courses are also to be reviewed to improve employability and upskilling opportunities.
One proposal is to explore ways of allowing students who obtain ITI diplomas to eventually acquire degrees.
The government has also been asked to undertake a global mapping of demand for skilled workers and align India’s training programmes accordingly.
The example cited is linking skilled manpower from the Northeast with opportunities in Japan. Along with technical training, greater emphasis has been suggested on soft skills and digital technology to make Indian workers more employable overseas.
The roadmap also seeks a rethink of agricultural education and farm diversification.
The syllabus of agricultural universities across different regions is to be examined to determine whether it is genuinely suited to the agro-climatic conditions of those areas, rather than relying on a common syllabus.
The government has also been asked to explore expanding irrigation, subject to conditions such as avoiding water-intensive crops, as a means of encouraging crop diversification.
Agriculture students could also be trained and involved in schemes such as installing solar panels along field boundaries, potentially creating an additional assured source of income for farmers.
A Push For Indian Digital Platforms
In another significant direction, ministries and departments have been asked to encourage the use of domestic digital, AI and messaging platforms to improve data security.
The document specifically names platforms including Zoho, Sna’m and Arattai, signalling an effort to encourage greater use of Indian digital alternatives within government.
The government also wants to tap into a resource that is often overlooked: experienced professionals and senior citizens.
Senior citizens could be engaged as mentors in ITIs and paid an honorarium under an approach similar to the “Professor of Practice” model under the National Education Policy.
At the same time, final-year engineering students could be encouraged to volunteer at ITIs for two to three months on an honorarium basis, bringing newer technical knowledge into vocational institutions.
The roadmap calls for greater in-house expertise within the government.
Officials should be trained to prepare tender documents, draft legislation, manage disputes and handle other specialised functions instead of routinely relying on private consulting agencies, the action points say.
The government’s iGOT platform is also identified as a resource for capacity building.
The document additionally suggests that the terminology of “expenditure” may not always adequately describe government spending when it results in the creation of assets, and says this issue needs consideration.
The pharmaceutical sector has also found a place in the reform agenda.
The government has called for process reforms and deregulation in the sector, keeping pace with the rapidly changing scientific environment and with an eye on improving ease of doing business.
At a broader level, ministries have been asked to identify gaps in rules, regulations, processes and systems before they become bottlenecks, and undertake reforms for future requirements.
The action points go beyond skilling workers to building companies capable of executing increasingly complex projects.
There is a push to develop more construction companies capable of undertaking complex infrastructure projects, alongside domestic capacity to manufacture heavy and sophisticated machinery and equipment.
The government has also called for stronger industry–academia collaboration, with university and college courses and syllabi being continuously updated in response to technological changes and industry requirements.
Government Without Departmental Walls
Perhaps the strongest administrative message in the document is directed at the top bureaucracy.
Secretaries, it says, should function as leaders of public interest rather than followers of departmental interest.
They are expected to take initiative on cross-cutting issues such as Swachhata, Swadeshi, deregulation and decriminalisation, and work in the collective interest of the government as though there are no departmental boundaries.
The message is also aimed at breaking the tendency of departments to defend their own turf.