Yogi to engage ministers in govt’s image makeover exercise

After expanding his 29-month-old ministry, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is now likely to engage with his ministers, especially the 18 new faces, to tell them on

After expanding his 29-month-old ministry, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is now likely to engage with his ministers, especially the 18 new faces, to tell them on what is expected of them in the run-up to the 2022 UP assembly polls.

Beginning this Teachers’ Day (September 5) Yogi is scheduled to let his ministers know what is expected of them. The chief minister’s office (CMO) is also in touch with a premier management institute to hold a day-long ‘capacity building’ workshop for ministers.

A short documentary detailing achievements of the Yogi government has also been made to make the ministers familiar with the government’s functioning and achievements.

The workshop, where management experts will work with ministers on how to better the delivery mechanism of various government schemes, is expected to be a day-long affair, possibly on September 8.

This would be the first attempt of its kind for the ministers, as the government looks up to management gurus to coach them on transparency, bettering the delivery of government schemes to the masses among other things.

“I guess talks are on with a top management institute though I won’t be able to confirm it,” a top official said.

A UP minister confirmed having received a missive from CMO expecting their presence in Lucknow on three different days – September 5, 8 and 15. However, the minister said he didn’t have any specific idea on what the CM had in mind for them on these days.

“The focus is not just on delivering government schemes. It’s on time-bound delivery because schemes that get delayed beyond a point lose their relevance,” an official said.

Another senior official said, “The initiative to prepare the ministers, especially new faces in the ministry for Mission 2022 is titled Manthan meaning churning. The churning would be in three parts – titled Manthan I, II and III – each session catering to a specific requirement and how to better or strengthen the current modes of delivery mechanism to better connect with the aam aadmi (common man),” the official said. Along with the ministers, all top bureaucrats including principal secretary, additional chief secretaries and secretaries have been asked to remain present for the churning.

“There is a possibility that the churning could take place at Yojana Bhawan,” an official said.

“The previous governments were plagued by corruption charges. This government has been pro-active on that front, forcing officials to retire. Even ministers have been acted against. As you might have seen after the action, some ministers have said they would invite an inquiry to prove their innocence. The message of this government is clear. The top is clean. So whatever trickles down should also be clean,” an official said.

“A marathon uninterrupted 48-hour session of UP assembly, too, has been planned to discuss eight millennium development goals (MDGs) in which the ministers’ presence has been sought though the dates of the session are confirmed,” an official said.

The 8 MDGs, a United Nations Initiative, commit member countries to combat hunger, child mortality, disease, poverty, illiteracy, gender equality, environment and universal primary education.

“The session would be our tribute to Mahatma Gandhi,” said UP’s parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna.