PRAGATI gave momentum to implementation, hurdles removed quickly when project is listed for review under it: PM

Gandhinagar (Gujrat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Centre’s `Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation’ (PRAGATI) initiative has been so effective that the states work hard to remove obstacles in the path of any project listed for review under it.
He was speaking virtually at a program to mark the completion of 20 years of `State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology’ (SWAGAT), a grievance redressal system started by him as Gujarat chief minister in 2003.
Years later, SWAGAT inspired his government’s PRAGATI initiative which is aimed at resolving issues hampering the implementation of important national projects, Modi added.
“I, as PM, have reviewed the progress of various projects worth Rs 16 lakh crore (under PRAGATI). PRAGATI has played an important role in the country’s progress in the last nine years. This initiative helped in giving momentum to hundreds of projects,” he said.
“Now PRAGATI has generated such an impact that when any project is listed for review under it, all states work hard to remove obstacles faced by that project and when it finally comes for my review, they say they have cleared the project just two days ago,” Modi said.
Under the SWAGAT system, common people can directly communicate with the Chief Minister’s Office and register their grievances online.
The Chief Minister and senior officials interact with these complainants as well as concerned officials through video conference on the fourth Thursday of every month.
The mechanism is implemented at the state, district, taluka and village level. Under the state-level SWAGAT system, the CM attends public hearings and issues necessary instructions to resolve complaints.
A public grievance redressal system is the most important parameter in a democracy and SWAGAT is now known across the world with the United Nations praising it and giving a Public Service Award to it, the prime minister said.
It is commonly believed in our country that governments should walk on the path already laid down and finish their tenure by doing mundane things like cutting ribbons or lighting lamps at functions, Modi said.
“But we changed this thinking by introducing SWAGAT. We showed that governance can not be limited to rules and laws. Governance is all about bringing new innovations and ideas. Governance is a living and sensitive system. It is associated with people’s dreams and aspirations. We demonstrated that governance can also be progressive,” he said.
When the Gujarat government led by him introduced this system 20 years ago, technology and governance did not get much priority in the country, and complainants often spent their entire lives tracking the progress of applications for grievance redressal, Modi said.
“At such time, Gujarat started working on this futuristic idea. Today, many states took inspiration from SWAGAT and are working on developing a similar system,” the PM said.
Common citizens should be able to share their views easily and consider the government a friend, he said.
“Many people think that leaders change their attitude towards people as soon as they come to power. But I had decided that I will not change and remain the way people made me. I had told myself that I will not become a slave to the compulsions attached with power. SWAGAT was the result of my resolution that I will always remain with the people,” said Modi.
On the occasion, he interacted with some persons who benefited due to SWAGAT during his tenure as chief minister.
Bharat Solanki, resident of Dehgam taluka, informed Modi that thanks to SWAGAT, he received financial assistance to build a house under the Sardar Awas Yojna.
Solanki recalled how Modi instructed the officials to release the funds after learning that the payment had been stopped over a technical issues regarding the thickness of walls.
Vinay Chaudhary, a wheelchair-bound disabled man from Tapi district, thanked Modi for instructing officials to release a loan amount of Rs 39,000 under a government scheme to start a grocery shop. He had approached SWAGAT after officials did not process his application, he said.