Ahead of Cabinet rejig, Modi reviews performance of ministries

Amid talks of a Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed the performance of various ministries in spending budgetary allocations and implementing schemes in the past two years and asked his colleagues to ensure schemes be tailored to benefit masses.

At an over four-hour-long meeting of the Council of Ministers, the prime minister reviewed the performance of all Union ministries to ascertain whether budgetary allocations have been spent wisely.

He also sought to know the number of schemes implemented by each ministry.

Modi, according to those present in the meeting, asked the ministers to ensure that schemes are tailored in such a fashion that the benefit reaches the common man.

Several ministers made suggestions on how best budget can be utilised. They also pointed out that at times, one sector gets more attention at the cost of the other.

Top bureaucrats made a power point presentation running into over 100 slides.

Modi was of the view that schemes mentioned in the election manifesto are implemented in true spirit to that the Opposition does not get a chance to accuse the government of falling short on promises.

Expressing satisfaction over the implementation of various schemes, he said there was no need to come up with fresh schemes and the present ones should be altered as per changing needs.

Thursday's review is been dubbed as a 'report card' of Union ministers as there is talk of a long-pending reshuffle of the council of ministers.

But ministers said there was no mention of the reshuffle exercise and the meeting was very "business like" where the prime minister took stock of the performance of various ministries.