Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks Independence Day bang

New Delhi: In what could be its first major departure from the UPA government’s policies, the Modi Sarkar is heading for a comprehensive review of its predecessor’s “rights-based” anti-poverty programmes.

An Expenditure Management Commission that will be constituted is likely to be tasked with reviewing all spending, including the UPA’s flagship programmes like NREGA and NFSA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, meanwhile, asked all ministries and departments to implement as many budgetary proposals as possible before August 10 so that he can deliver a “big bang” Independence Day speech on August 15. Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth has in a written directive told all ministries to initiate some major reforms before Independence Day as Mr Modi wanted to present his achievements in his first address to the nation from the Red Fort.

Sources said the government’s focus will be to facilitate foreign direct investment in some more key sectors. The finance ministry is also likely to take steps to being down inflation and approve key infrastructural development projects. The sources said the government plans to go all out in a bid to bring down prices in the next three weeks. The next step could be FDI in defence and the railways, they added.

Sources said as finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his Budget speech that the government would constitute an EMC, officials had been asked to evolve its terms of reference, which besides subsidies will also include expenses incurred on UPA’s flagship programmes.