PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) is a transformative initiative by the Indian government aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and governance reform. The PRAGATI platform was launched in 2015 as a part of the Digital India Program. Read here to learn more about it.
A recent study by the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, has highlighted the significant impact of India’s PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform on the nation’s infrastructure development.
Launched in 2015 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PRAGATI has accelerated the progress of 340 major infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹17.05 lakh crore (about $205 billion), many of which had faced delays ranging from three to twenty years.
PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation)
Launch Year: 2015
Implementation: Prime Minister’s Office of India
PRAGATI is a unique, multi-purpose, and multi-modal platform that integrates three key functionalities:
- Grievance Redressal: Resolves public grievances.
- Project Monitoring: Tracks and monitors the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects.
- Program Implementation: Ensures timely execution of government schemes and policies.
It combines the central and state government efforts for real-time governance using technology.
Key Features:
- Video Conferencing: High-level discussions between the Prime Minister, central ministries, and state officials.
- Monthly Reviews: Conducted on the fourth Wednesday of every month.
- Use of Digital Tools: Incorporates data from project management systems such as CPGRAMS, PMG, and e-Samiksha.
Objectives:
- Fast-track the implementation of critical projects and policies.
- Ensure proactive resolution of issues related to governance.
- Enhance accountability and efficiency across various levels of government.
Impact of PRAGATI
Since its inception, PRAGATI has reviewed numerous infrastructure, railways, roads, and power projects, ensuring their timely completion and addressing citizen grievances efficiently.
Here’s how it has empowered leadership and driven collaboration:
Economic Impact
- Expedited Project Execution: By addressing land acquisition challenges and inter-ministerial coordination, PRAGATI reduces project delays, leading to significant cost savings.
- Enhanced Infrastructure Investment: Timely completion of infrastructure projects boosts economic growth and supports India’s efforts to avoid the middle-income trap by facilitating structural transformation.
- Example: Accelerated completion of large-scale infrastructure like highways, railways, and industrial corridors.
Social Impact
- Reducing Regional Disparities: Focus on underdeveloped and remote regions to promote balanced development and enhance the quality of life.
- Job Creation: Fast-tracking projects lead to employment generation, particularly in construction and related sectors.
- Example: Development of the Bogibeel Rail and Road Bridge in Assam, enhancing connectivity in the northeastern region.
Environmental Impact
- Sustainability Integration: PRAGATI ensures adherence to environmental norms, often coordinating with the PARIVESH portal for faster environmental clearances.
- Promotion of Green Technologies: Encourages the use of eco-friendly construction practices and renewable energy in infrastructure projects.
- Carbon Footprint Reduction: Streamlined approvals ensure environmentally sensitive planning and minimize delays that can increase resource consumption.
Direct Involvement of Top Leadership
- PM Modi’s Oversight: The platform allows the Prime Minister to directly review the progress of key projects and programs. This personal accountability ensures a high-level focus on critical issues.
- Impact: Regular, high-level reviews have led to faster decision-making and resolution of bottlenecks that might otherwise stall progress.
Enhanced Governance and Transparency
- Accountability: Ministries and state governments are held accountable for delays, fostering a culture of responsibility.
- Technology-Driven Monitoring: The use of real-time data ensures that project statuses are up-to-date, enabling informed decision-making.
Central-State Collaboration
- Unified Approach: PRAGATI has broken down bureaucratic silos by bringing central and state governments to the same table.
- Conflict Resolution: Facilitates smoother coordination, ensuring that inter-departmental and inter-governmental conflicts are resolved swiftly.
Expedited Project Completion
- Project Prioritization: Focuses on high-impact infrastructure and social welfare projects.
- Results: Reduced delays in large-scale infrastructure projects like highways, railways, and power plants.
Citizen-Centric Governance
- Public Grievance Redressal: PRAGATI also addresses public grievances, enhancing trust in governance.
- Outcome: Improved service delivery and greater citizen satisfaction.
E-transparency and E-accountability
E-Transparency and E-Accountability are critical components of good governance in the digital era. They leverage information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance openness, responsibility, and trust in public administration and private sectors.
E-Transparency
Refers to the use of digital platforms to provide citizens with access to government or organizational information in a clear, timely, and accessible manner.
Key Features:
- Access to Information: Public availability of government decisions, policies, budgets, and data.
- Open Data Initiatives: Sharing data sets on various sectors like health, education, and finance.
- Citizen Engagement: Enabling citizens to view, participate in, or comment on decision-making processes.
- Proactive Disclosure: Publishing information without the need for formal requests.
Examples:
- Online portals for Right to Information (RTI) applications.
- Publishing government contracts, tenders, and audit reports online.
- Real-time dashboards for public projects and budgets.
E-Accountability
Involves holding public officials and institutions accountable for their actions and decisions through digital means.
Key Features:
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Real-time tracking of public service delivery and project implementation.
- Feedback Mechanisms: Platforms for citizens to provide feedback, file complaints, or report grievances.
- Digital Auditing: Automated auditing systems for financial transactions and performance evaluation.
- Performance Metrics: Publishing performance indicators of various departments and officials.
Examples:
- Online grievance redressal systems.
- Performance tracking of public services through e-governance dashboards.
- Use of blockchain for tamper-proof public records.
Benefits of E-Transparency and E-Accountability
- Enhanced Trust: Builds public confidence by promoting openness and integrity.
- Reduced Corruption: Limits opportunities for corruption through visible processes.
- Efficient Governance: Streamlines administrative processes and decision-making.
- Empowered Citizens: Facilitates informed public participation in governance.
Challenges
- Digital Divide: Limited access to technology in rural or underprivileged areas.
- Data Privacy Concerns: Balancing transparency with the protection of sensitive information.
- Cybersecurity Threats: Ensuring data integrity and protection from cyberattacks.
- Capacity Building: Need for training officials and citizens in using digital tools effectively.
Conclusion
PRAGATI has emerged as a powerful governance tool, fostering a culture of proactive problem-solving and collaborative federalism. By ensuring accountability and leveraging technology, it has set a benchmark for efficient and transparent project implementation in India.
The platform leverages technology such as video conferencing, digital dashboards, and geo-spatial analytics to facilitate real-time monitoring and accountability, ensuring that projects stay on track.
PRAGATI’s monthly reviews, chaired by the Prime Minister, have fostered cooperation across various government levels, breaking through bureaucratic inertia and promoting “cooperative federalism.”
Notable successes include the Bengaluru Metro Rail project and the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest rail bridge.
The Oxford study emphasizes that PRAGATI serves as a model for other countries seeking to enhance governance through technology and leadership-driven accountability, illustrating how strategic oversight can transform infrastructure development and governance efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Pragati scheme?
Ans: PRAGATI is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform existing in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), that reviews and monitors various Government Projects across the country.
Q. What is the Pragati Portal?
Ans: It is a multi-purpose and multi-modal platform that is aimed at addressing the common man’s grievances, and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Government of India as well as projects flagged by State Governments.
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-Article by Swathi Satish
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