Govt working on mission mode to achieve saturation of all central schemes: NCGG DG Bharat Lal

New Delhi [India], January 8 : Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Bharat Lal said the Union government is working on mission mode to achieve 100 per cent saturation of all central schemes, which would have a huge socio-economic bearing on common man, the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions informed on Sunday.
According to a release by the Union ministry, delivering the keynote address on 'Public Policy, Governance and Innovation' at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad on Sunday, Lal said, "In the last eight-and-a-half years, attempts to universalise various services such as drinking water, electricity, cooking gas, and internet connection at village and panchayat levels are nothing but examples of good and enabling governance."
He said the 15th Finance Commission (FC) had recommended Rs 1.42 lakh crore as a grant to grampanchayats for the supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling, and sanitation and maintenance of open-defecation free (ODF) status from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
He said the recommendation made sure that grampanchayats have adequate funds to make and implement their water supply and sanitation-related plans and function as local 'public utilities' with focus on 'service delivery.
"This is a big step towards strengthening the local self-government in line with the 73rd amendment to the Constitution," Lal added.
Citing the 'Gujarat Growth' story, Lal said the right mix of governance, policy and innovation can create wonders.
"From economic growth of 1.02 per cent in 1999-2000 and minus 4.89 per cent in 2000-2001, Gujarat clocked double-digit growth in next two decades under (then) chief minister Narendra Modi and then his enabling role as Prime Minister since May 2014," Lal said.
He said that during this period, not only was water scarcity eliminated in Gujarat, but post the Kutch earthquake in 2001, climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure was built and "Gujarat became a shining example of inclusive development, double-digit growth and land of opportunities -- a hot destination for investment and innovation ensuring prosperity and socio-economic development for all".
The director general of the NCGG further pointed out that in the Education sector, the government, with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), is aiming to establish 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools which will benefit over 3.5 lakh Scheduled Tribe (ST) students.
He said, "Every block with more than 50 per cent tribal population and at least 20,000 ST persons will have such a school. These poor tribal children will have a Boarding School, where they will get quality education, learn their culture, learn their sports and ultimately it will lead to development of leadership among the scheduled tribes."
He said be it digital health, internet at the panchayat and village levels, a 'New India' was emerging through the startup ecosystem or MUDRA loan, adding, "It is our bounden duty as Public Servants to enable the people to tap into these opportunities and do not allow it to slip away".
Lal mentioned that while it took 60 years since independence for India to become a trillion-dollar economy in 2007, the next trillion dollars was added only in 7 years, in 2014.
"We became a 2-trillion economy and the 3rd trillion was added in just 5 years, in 2019," he added.
He pointed out that these numbers are only an extension of the government's commitment to create an enabling eco-system, providing opportunities to all.
Lal said that in 2014, only 24 per cent women were in the workforce. However, in the last 7-8 years, the representation of women in the workforce increased to 33 per cent.
"When we talk about doubling of income or making India a developed nation in the next 25 years, with a per capita income of around 12,000 dollars, the role of women in the workforce is going to play a crucial role and the government is working in that direction," Lal added.
He said any public policy, in the absence of the right kind of governance, is not going to achieve its objective and, without inovation, it is impossible to realise the stated national objectives in this day and age.
He said, "In public policy, we have to be very clear about the goal, objective, and collaterals. We have to see that everybody is benefited. And, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is creating this kind of ecosystem and opportunities, where each and everyone of the 140 crore Indians can derive the benefits."