The directive for ministry secretaries to make a presentation to the new prime minister this week, without a minister necessarily being around, is an important event. PowerPoint presentations and one-on-one meetings between PM and secretaries are not only a departure from the Manmohan Singh government - these also bring back three-decade-old memories of the Rajiv Gandhi government.
The secretaries gearing up for their first presentations to the new PM are both excited and nervous, amid speculation of a bureaucratic reshuffle, too. The exercise is expected to give the new PM a chance to assess the merit and potential of his top team. He is likely to get a sense of the their level of judgement and vision through these initial interactions. For the secretaries, it will be the first opportunity to "impress the boss", said an official.
The perception is that one needs to be extra alert with Narendra Modi, the prime minister-elect. Some civil servants are also a bit edgy on the language Modi might prefer during interactions. And, what if he asks difficult questions? There won't be any additional secretaries or joint secretaries assisting them.
Time is yet to be allotted for the secretary-level presentations. Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth has asked all ministries to be ready with PowerPoint presentations on achievements, status of proposals, key goals in the next five years, low-hanging fruit, what shouldn't have happened and what could be rolled out immediately. Secretaries have been told the new PM can summon them any time during the week after his swearing-in. The home, finance and defence ministries will be the first to be called. If not on Tuesday (as the PM will be busy in bilateral meetings), then perhaps on Wednesday, followed by key infrastructure ministries.
"Immediate areas of concern, certain things which need tweaking, suggestions for the future and some wild ideas will be shared. Since the (Union) Budget is coming, that has also been lined up," said a senior finance ministry official.
Another official who picked up the phone late Saturday evening, an unusual time for bureaucrats to be in office, said the presentations, crisp and to the point, with timelines, had been prepared, rehearsed and re-rehearsed with the cabinet secretary. All leaves have been cancelled for at least the first two weeks in the government; some have even been called back from holiday. Among others, a proposed short trip to Nashik by agriculture ministry officers stood cancelled.
Secretaries will be given about 15 minutes each to take the PM through 12-15 slides of the presentation. Modi is unlikely to take any instant decisions, according to a former secretary who's aware of the way he works. "It's too early for any decision." He will give time to an official if he finds the presentation interesting and cut it short if he's not, he added.
Rajiv Gandhi's style of functioning was similar; he, too, often interacted directly with bureaucrats, cutting out the hierarchy. While information technology-savvy Gandhi used to ask secretaries to make PowerPoint presentations, he was also known to be impatient with officials. At least two secretaries were sent back to their respective states under Rajiv rule, says a former secretary.
Also, the fact that he'd announced the dismissal of his foreign secretary, A P Venkateswaran, at a press conference has not been forgotten. Venkateswaran had announced that the prime minister would go to Pakistan soon. However, Rajiv Gandhi denied this statement. When a journalist pointed out what Venkateswaran had said, Rajiv said, "You will soon have a new foreign secretary."
Manmohan Singh believed more in discussion with bureaucrats, followed by "searching" questions and answers, rather than power points, though screen presentations were often part of the dialogue.
While secretaries have usually met Singh with their respective ministers, he's known to have asked bureaucrats to feel free to meet him on their own as well.
POWER POINTS FOR THE NEXT PM
FINANCE
Budget, introducing DTC & GST, resolving tax disputes, disinvestment, infra boost, controlling bad loans
ROADS
Rescheduling of premiums, kickstarting stalled projects
ENVIORNMENT
Interlinking and cleaning of rivers, fast-tracking environmental clearances, addressing climate change issue
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Large-scale urbanisation of India and new smart cities
HOUSING
Home for all by 2022 through affordable housing
AGRI & FOODS
Preparing a monsoon plan and crop strategy, checking food stocks, handling inflation
COMMERCE
Boosting exports, reviewing foreign trade policy and free-trade agreements
TOURISM
Putting India on at least 50 tourist circuits
With inputs from Sanjeeb Mukherjee, Sushmi Dey & Shine Jacob
