Why in the News?
- Recently, the 50th meeting of PRAGATI was held, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan highlighted that land acquisition remains a major challenge in infrastructure development.
- The PRAGATI platform reviewed over 3,300 projects worth ₹85 lakh crore, raised 7,735 issues, and resolved 7,156 of them, showcasing the system’s role in timely monitoring and problem resolution.
- About 35% of resolved issues were related to land acquisition, followed by 20% on forest, wildlife, and environment, and 18% on right of use/way, with remaining delays due to law and order, construction, power utility approvals, and financial constraints.
Overview of PRAGATI Platform
- PRAGATI is a multi-purpose, multi-modal platform designed to address public grievances and simultaneously monitor and review key government programmes and projects at the central and state levels.
- Objectives: It aims to enhance e-transparency and e-accountability by enabling real-time interaction among key stakeholders.
- Launched On: The platform was launched on March 25, 2015 and was developed in-house by the PMO team in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
- PRAGATI integrates three advanced technologies:
- Digital data management for centralized project tracking.
- Video conferencing for direct interaction with officials.
- Geospatial technology for visual representation of ground-level project data.
- The platform strengthens cooperative federalism by bringing together Union Government Secretaries and State Chief Secretaries on a common interface, allowing the Prime Minister to review issues with complete data and visual updates.
Objectives of PRAGATI
- Facilitate real-time monitoring of government schemes and infrastructure projects.
- Address implementation bottlenecks, including public grievances and project delays.
- Enable coordinated decision-making between the Centre, States, and local authorities.
- Ensure efficient escalation of complex issues for timely resolution by higher authorities.
Key Features of PRAGATI
- Three-tier system:
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
- Union Government Secretaries
- Monthly PM Interaction (PRAGATI Day):
- Held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 3:30 PM.
- The Prime Minister interacts with Central and State officials through video conferencing, using data and geospatial visuals to monitor progress.
- Issue Identification:
- Issues flagged before PRAGATI are selected from public grievance databases, ongoing programmes, and pending projects.
- Data is sourced from CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System), Project Monitoring Group (PMG), and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- Pre-PRAGATI Process:
- Issues are uploaded seven days before PRAGATI Day (third Wednesday of the month).
- Union Secretaries and State Chief Secretaries submit updates and comments within three days (by the following Monday).
- Tuesday is reserved for PMO review, ensuring the Prime Minister receives the latest information and visual representation during the session.
Projects Facilitated by PRAGATI
- Chenab Bridge (Jammu & Kashmir): PRAGATI helped monitor and accelerate progress on this strategic railway bridge project.
- Bogibeel Bridge (Assam): The platform contributed to timely resolution of implementation issues, ensuring smoother execution of this critical rail-cum-road bridge.
- Jal Jeevan Mission: Under PRAGATI’s oversight, rural household tap water connections increased significantly from 17% in 2019 to 79% by 2024, improving nationwide access to safe drinking water.
With reference to the PRAGATI platform, consider the following statements:
1. PRAGATI is designed to ensure coordinated decision-making between the Centre, States, and local authorities.
2. Issues to be flagged for review during PRAGATI are uploaded seven days prior to the meeting.
3. The Prime Minister personally resolves all issues during the PRAGATI session without prior inputs from Union and State Secretaries.
4. PRAGATI integrates databases such as CPGRAMS, Project Monitoring Group (PMG), and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, and 4 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a) 1, 2, and 4 only
Explanation:
Statement 1: Correct – PRAGATI facilitates coordinated action among the Centre, States, and local authorities for timely project implementation.
Statement 2: Correct – Issues are uploaded seven days before PRAGATI Day for review by Union and State Secretaries.
Statement 3: Incorrect – The PM reviews issues with the latest inputs and visuals, but initial updates and comments are provided by Union Secretaries and State Chief Secretaries.
Statement 4: Correct – PRAGATI leverages CPGRAMS, PMG, and MoSPI databases for issue tracking and project monitoring.
