Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)

Context

The Cabinet Secretary, following the 50th PRAGATI meeting, highlighted that land acquisition remains the most significant bottleneck in India's infrastructure development, contributing to 35% of all project delays. This underscores the critical role of PRAGATI in identifying and resolving such structural hurdles at the highest level of government.

About PRAGATI

• Definition: PRAGATI is a multipurpose, multi-modal, ICT-based platform designed for grievance redressal, program implementation, and project monitoring. It enables a real-time review of projects that are of national importance.
• Launch Date: March 25, 2015.
• Leadership: It is a unique initiative chaired personally by the Prime Minister of India.

Objectives

• Timely Execution: To ensure that infrastructure and social sector projects are completed within their stipulated timelines to avoid cost overruns.
• Effective Coordination: To bridge the gap between various Union Ministries and between the Centre and State Governments, resolving long-standing friction points.
• Enhanced Governance: To promote e-transparency and accountability by using data-driven, outcome-based oversight.

Key Features of the Platform

1. Three-Tier Architecture: The platform simultaneously connects the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Union Government Secretaries, and State Chief Secretaries, ensuring that decision-makers at all levels are present to resolve issues instantly.
2. Monthly High-Level Reviews: On the fourth Wednesday of every month (known as PRAGATI Day), the PM chairs a video conference to review specific projects and grievances, providing high-level political impetus to administrative tasks.
3. Advanced Technology Integration: Uses Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping and live visuals from project sites to provide an objective, ground-level view of progress.
4. Unified Data Ecosystem: It pools data from various sources like CPGRAMS (public grievances), Project Monitoring Group (PMG), and the Ministry of Statistics (MoSPI) to create a single, comprehensive dashboard.
5. Digital Accountability: Every direction given during a session is tracked electronically until it is resolved, preventing issues from falling through the cracks.

Significance and Impact

• Massive Scale: As of its 50th meeting, the platform has reviewed over 3,300 projects with a total value exceeding ₹85 lakh crore, resolving 7,156 individual issues.
• Clearing Legacy Backlogs: It has been instrumental in accelerating "legacy projects" that had been stuck in bureaucratic delays since the 1990s.
• Cooperative Federalism: By bringing State Chief Secretaries directly into the dialogue with the PMO, it strengthens the spirit of Team India, fostering better synergy between the Union and States.

Conclusion

PRAGATI represents a shift toward "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" by utilizing technology to dissolve silos within the bureaucracy. While land acquisition remains a challenge, the platform’s ability to bring diverse stakeholders to a single table makes it an indispensable tool for India's infrastructure and development goals.