PM Modi chairs 54th PRAGATI meeting, reviews projects worth over Rs 16,000 crore across 31 states

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 54th PRAGATI meeting on Wednesday reviewing infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 16000 crore across 31 states and Union Territories and calling for faster implementation improved coordination and greater accountabilityThe meeting held at Seva Teerth focused on railway station redevelopment pharmaceutical manufacturing and the PM Ekta Malls initiative aimed at supporting local artisans and businesses The discussions also covered the implementation of welfare schemes and measures to improve the delivery of government benefitsIn a post on X Modi said the meeting focused on timely execution and tangible outcomes for citizensChaired the 54th PRAGATI meeting yesterday The focus areas Reviewed projects worth over Rs 16000 crore across 31 States and UTs Faster redevelopment of railway stations as multimodal hubs Boosting selfreliance in pharma manufacturing Ekta Malls to empower artisans and local businesses The focus is clearhellipsubstantive outcomes timely execution and long lasting benefits for people PM Modi saidPRAGATI which stands for ProActive Governance and Timely Implementation is an information and communications technologyenabled platform that brings the Central and state governments together to resolve implementation bottlenecks and improve the delivery of infrastructure projects and welfare schemesPM calls for faster railway station redevelopmentDuring the meeting PM Modi reviewed the redevelopment of Ahmedabad railway station and called for accelerating the modernisation of major railway stations across the countryHe said redeveloped stations should function as multimodal transport hubs providing seamless connectivity with metro services and other transport networks The emphasis was on improving passenger convenience and integrating different modes of transportThe Prime Minister also asked the concerned ministries and state governments to address projectrelated bottlenecks promptly strengthen coordination among agencies and ensure close monitoring to prevent delaysEkta Malls to support artisans and local businessesModi said PM Ekta Malls should provide markets for local products strengthen artisansrsquo livelihoods and help small businesses expand He called for linking the facilities with tourism and local enterprises to generate demand for locally made goodsAccording to the Prime Ministerrsquos Office greater demand could create employment opportunities across rural production packaging storage and transportation Modi also asked chief secretaries to regularly review the progress of the malls and ensure their timely completionBulk Drug Parks to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturingReviewing Bulk Drug Parks in Andhra Pradesh Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh the Prime Minister stressed the need to prioritise domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients APIs and other essential pharmaceutical inputsThe initiative aims to strengthen Indiarsquos selfreliance in pharmaceutical manufacturing by supporting domestic production of critical ingredients and reducing dependence on external sourcesMonthly reviews to improve welfare scheme deliveryModi asked chief secretaries to review the implementation of government schemes with district magistrates every month to identify gaps and ensure eligible beneficiaries receive assistance on timeHe stressed that governance should focus on outcomes rather than expenditure with public funds translating into measurable improvements in peoplersquos livesReferring to the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks programmes Modi highlighted the importance of coordination between government schemes regular monitoring and accountability at the local level He also noted that sustained efforts to improve governance and welfare delivery had helped nearly 25 crore people move out of multidimensional poverty according to the Prime Ministerrsquos OfficeCentre and states asked to resolve project bottlenecksThe Prime Minister directed the concerned ministries and state governments to resolve implementation hurdles in mission mode and strengthen coordination between departments and levels of governmentHe called for officials to anticipate potential delays take timely decisions and establish clear accountability for completing projects according to scheduleWith inputs from IANS