Making things happen: Rejuvenation of water bodies in Puducherry district

October 13, 2020

The outcome of the effort was there for everyone to see. Thee intensive method helped restoring/rejuvenating 198 water bodies and 206 km of channels in the district entirely through NGOs, CSR, and thus saved huge amount to government exchequer. There was an increase in 15 feet of groundwater post monsoon,...

Making it happen: Pad-woman of India

October 6, 2020

The drive—to supply safe menstrual products to the needy and underprivileged women—was started by Sangini Saheli Trust, founded during Covid-19 by Aman Preet’s fashion designer friend, Priyal Bhardwaj, who is wife of Ashish Tripathi, an Indian Revenue Service officer. Whenever there has been any infectious-disease outbreak, women who are already...

Making things happen: Municipal corporation turns Indore into cleanest city

September 29, 2020

Indore was known as an industrial town in the state of Madhya Pradesh but shot into prominence as it was declared as the cleanest city in the country in 2017. It continued to be awarded the cleanest city every year thereafter. What brought about a transformation that has been sustained...

Making Things Happen: Covid and Mumbai Municipal Corporation

September 22, 2020

Greater emphasis was laid on testing. Arrangements were made to ensure that results of the tests were made available within twenty- four hours. Mumbai became the only city in the country where all test reports would come within this period without exception. Mumbai has been in the news for all...

Making Things Happen: Technology & Financial Sector

September 15, 2020

Ministry of Corporate Affairs has authorised just five banks (Indian Bank, HDFC, ICICI, PNB, UBI and SBI) for collection of MCA21 fee. By implication, only the account holders of these banks can avail Internet banking facility. Further, payment via challan can only be made in the authorised branches of these...

Making things happen: Leverage technology

September 8, 2020

The Prime Minister continues to emphasise the need of technology for driving the development in the country. Rightly so. On every occasion that I met the PM in a meeting or informally, his focus on technology was unwavering. Yet, all Ministries in Government of India haven’t taken even the rudimentary...

Making things happen: Human Resource Management

September 1, 2020

The country is yet to come out of COVID crisis. Plans are afoot to tackle the aftermath. The intentions look good. But the best of intentions can go wrong if the machinery that is assigned the task of “making these intentions happen on the ground” is inappropriate. Hence, human resource...

Making things happen: Leverage public-private partnership

August 25, 2020

The recently announced National Education Policy is being lauded by most of those associated with education. It undoubtedly is a visionary document that takes a comprehensive look at this critical sector. At a conceptual level, the Policy can’t be faulted except perhaps in its inability to appreciate the role of...

Making things happen: Think out-of-the-box

August 18, 2020

I was out of India on an official obligation when I got a message that the Cabinet Secretary wanted to have a word with me. I tried to reach him on phone immediately but failed. Hence, on returning to India, even though it was late in the afternoon, I called...

Making things happen: Trust and delegate

August 11, 2020

The Prime Minister (PM) was obviously very concerned about the coal situation in the country. It was reflected in the fact that I was drafted into the Coal Ministry in the rank of Secretary even before my predecessor had superannuated in 2014. In a meeting presided over by the PM,...