Don't make tall claims in public, PM Modi tells ministers

NEW DELHI: Ministers should not make claims in public which they cannot deliver on or on subjects that are not in their arena of work and there is no need to hold forth on diverse issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have told the council of ministers on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister’s remarks, it is felt, were largely intended to signal his unhappiness over ministers offering comments on areas that are not under their purview or a tendency to speak out of turn. Modi has on earlier occasions emphasised a similar message and his remarks seem to signal to a growing impatience with comments that end up generating controversy.
Modi also said the decision to nullify

Article 370

and do away with Jammu and Kashmir’s special status should be seen as “every ministry’s project.” “Ministers should engage with students from the Valley through their officials. We need to have deeper engagement with the people of the state as they need to be briefed about how the recent legislative changes will make huge difference in development of the state,” PM said at the meeting.
The Prime Minister also noted that despite his having asked ministers to

reach office by 9.30am

, many were failing to make it on time. This was sending a poor message. There had been a surge in attendance after his initial suggestion on time at a meeting of the council of ministers on June 12, but the enthusiasm seems to be flagging. He asked the ministers to interact with not just the secretaries but with joint secretaries and directors in their departments.
Modi interacted with ministers after three presentations were made before them. While home minister Amit Shah made a presentation on the nullification of Article 370 in J&K and the ground situation in the Valley, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave details of the recent economic reforms the government announced last week.
Sources said Shah said the situation is gradually improving in the Valley. Defending the restrictions, the minister said it is in larger interest of the people of the state and asserted that there is no blanket ban on communication or people's movement. “Restrictions have been imposed only in areas where inputs are about possibility of serious law and order problem,” Shah said.
“The intention was to keep everyone in the council of ministers updated about the government moves on these two crucial issues which are largely being discussed by people across states. This will help us to make the right points in any discussion and present the government’s point of view,” said a source referring to the situation in J&K and the recent measures announced on the economy.
Sources said drinking water and sanitation secretary Paramswaran Iyer made a detailed presentation on the move to shun single-use plastic. The government has announced big plans to wage a war against single use plastic from October 2.
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References

1. ^{^} Narendra Modi (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} Amit Shah (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Article 370 (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
4. ^{^} Nirmala Sitharaman (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

from Times of India https://ift.tt/2ZBSX7o