Only send proposals with para on Atmanirbhar Bharat: Cabinet Secretariat

Justify if there are no such details, and ensure details are specific and quantifiable and not perfunctory, says Cab Sec

The government on Wednesday instructed all union ministries to compulsorily include a paragraph on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in all proposals sent for the approval of the union cabinet and cabinet committees.

'Atmanirbhar Bharat', which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched in May, is the government’s campaign for building a ‘self-reliant India’ by encouraging domestic manufacturing. 

In an ‘office memorandum’ sent to all the secretaries of the union government, the Cabinet Secretariat said any proposal sent to the union cabinet and cabinet committees should from now on have details on how it would help achieve the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing, reducing import dependence and increasing exports.

The letter said that in cases where proposals do “not have any bearing on the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat”, they should provide a “justification” as to why such details were absent.

The Cabinet Secretariat’s letter sent to the ministries said, “The government is committed to achieving the goal of a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and has taken several steps in this direction.”

“In order to attain this objective, it is important that critical reforms and initiatives aimed at economic growth, attracting investments and enhancing global competitiveness are ushered in,” the letter from joint secretary Ashutosh Jindal stated.

It said that in this context it has been “decided” that all notes for consideration of the union cabinet and cabinet committees “shall henceforth indicate how the proposal under consideration will help in realising the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing, reducing import dependence, increasing exports, etc.”

The Cabinet Secretariat has asked ministries to include details on Atmanirbhar Bharat in a “separate paragraph” after the paragraph on ‘financial implications’ in the notes sent to the union cabinet/cabinet committees.

“It may be ensured that the reporting on these aspects is specific and quantifiable and does not become perfunctory,” the letter stated.

Earlier this month, in a missive to all ministries, the Cabinet Secretariat had ticked them off for neglecting to include key details in proposals related to infrastructure projects sent to the union cabinet and cabinet committees.

It had said infrastructure proposals sent for the consideration of the cabinet and cabinet committees should contain a statement on “major milestones” and “corresponding target dates for achieving them”.

The Cabinet Secretariat’s note had bemoaned that “in spite of clear instructions on the subject, it is observed that ministries/departments are not paying adequate attention while fixing milestones and timelines at the stage of finalizing the note”.

Proposals for the consideration of the cabinet and cabinet committees have to adhere to ‘the handbook on writing cabinet notes’, which is revised from time to time.