Anandiben keeps pace with Modi's legacy

The leadership in Gujarat might have changed, but the functioning of the government has not. It is still moving at the pace set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while he was in charge of the state.

New chief minister Anandiben Patel has her own style of functioning but it is more or less similar to her predecessor, Modi -- speedy decision making, stress on implementations, making government work more transparent.

Patel, as seasoned politician, has held number of key portfolios in the Keshubhai Patel and Modi governments, and knows how to run a government. She was education and women and child development minister in the Keshubhai Patel government and later she went on to hold more crucial portfolios of revenue and urban development in the Modi government.

Like Modi, Patel has also kept key portfolios with herself. She is incharge of nearly a dozen departments including General Administration, Administrative Reforms & Training, Industries, Home, Revenue, Disaster Management, Urban development, Urban housing development, Climate Change, Ports, Information & Broadcasting, Narmada, Kalpsar, Science & Technology, All Policies and subject matters not allotted to other ministers.

Ever since she took charge of chief minister's office on May 22, Patel has held series of review meetings and finalised details of state level programmes like the annual 'Krishi Mahotsav' (agriculture fare) and school enrolment drive.

This is keeping in line with the tradition started by her predecessor. She has been regularly attending 'Krishi Mahotsavs' in part of the state and encouraging the farmers to adopt new technology and techniques in agriculture.

Even the bureaucrats admits that her style of working is quite similar to that of her predecessor.

"She is a strict taskmaster and takes regular meetings with department heads. Patel has already started meeting bureaucrats from different departments in the state government, especially those that she has not personally handled so far, like home, industries and also the Gujarat Industrial Development Board (GIDB). She has also asked senior bureaucrats to come and meet her with their reports on their departments, and many have started doing so," said a senior bureaucrat.

As for those who have had experience in working with Patel in the past when she was the revenue minister, they too agree about her being a strict taskmaster.

"She is a very good administrator and keen learner. She would first understand issues in depth before taking any decision. For her there cannot be hasty decisions," said one of the district collectors who has worked with Patel as revenue officer since last five years.

"Once the decision is taken on an issue she won't accept lethargy or slackness. She will ensure that the implementations takes place in the stipulated time frame by constantly monitoring the efforts of her junior officers," he added.

Patel is quick in decision making, emphasizes on implementation of decisions taken and asks district level officials and state ministers to interact with people. Like Modi she also personally monitors various department and cabinet decisions.

Despite her busy schedule the first woman chief minister of Gujarat has been equally active on the social media with regular tweets and facebook updates. Even her followers on micro-blogging site Tweeter more than doubled within a weeks time of her assuming office of CM. She has been quite vocal in expressing her opinion on various issues on the social media.

Recently she reacted sharply to the gangrape and murder of two teenage sisters in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh. She termed the incident and its aftermath as 'unacceptable' and said that it was the duty of every government to protect women in their states.

"The happenings and aftermath in UP (Uttar Pradesh) r (are) unacceptable...it is the duty of any govt, any society, anywhere in world to protect and empower women," Patel Tweeted on the micro-blogging site.

On World Environment Day on June 5 Pate tweeted, "Our endeavour is to take forward the legacy of PM @narendramodi who set up the first ever dedicated Govt Dept for Climate Change in Gujarat," reiterating her commitment to the development model set up by her predecessor.

She has also attempted to change the way people's problems in the state are resolved. Patel has asked her ministers to go and reach out to people at taluka and district levels and resolve their issue related to local administration there and then. For this she has asked the ministers to regularly visit taluka and district places and hold meeting with the people.