Modi Takes Stock: 125-Day Agenda Gains Traction as Exit Polls Predict Modi Comeback

With all major exit polls, including India Today-Axis My India, predicting a thumping victory for the BJP-led NDA, a detailed 125-day policy agenda has been firmed up for implementation by the new government.

Sources added that the brainstorming session that PM Modi will be undertaking will focus on policy decisions that are in the pipeline or the overhaul of the existing policies. In his meeting with the senior bureaucracy on March 3, PM Modi emphasized the importance of continuity in governance.

There is also a possibility that, just like in 2019 when a Group of Ministers (GoM) was formed to finalize the basic action plan, a Ministerial Group is likely to constituted this time as well. The agenda items submitted by the Strategy Groups of Secretaries (SGOS) will ultimately be handpicked by the Ministerial group.

The Strategy Groups of Secretaries have submitted a detailed plan for "Viksit Bharat by 2047" that will be put on the path of accelerated implementation once the new government takes office. Proposals have been submitted to the Cabinet Secretary after intra-departmental meetings.

A poll of five exit polls, including India Today-Axis My India, suggests that the BJP-led NDA would win 379 seats, potentially reaching '400 plus'. The INDIA bloc, with Congress as its main constituent, is expected to secure 136 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

In an interview with India Today during election campaigning, PM Modi said, "Now, I have a new idea, and that is to make a 125-day plan instead of a 100-day plan. The addition of those 25 days is for youth to give us ideas and list their priorities."

Key items on the 125-day agenda include the Department of Investment and Public Asset Monetisation (DIPAM) aiming to prioritize the completion of at least two public sector unit sales. According to Sources, the department may look to finalise the sale processes of HLL Lifecare and the long pending IDBI Bank stake sale, which is currently awaiting fit and proper criteria clearance from the RBI.

Plans are also in place to establish India as a global hub for electric vehicles, pushing for significant support in the automobile sector and green energy integration. With the expected return of PM Modi in office, it'll be interesting to see if Elon Musk will renew his interest to set up a manufacturing base in India.

Sources further added that the framework for an e-commerce policy is ready, aiming to resolve several sticking points, including taxation for e-commerce companies and data privacy concerns.

A Rs 10,0000 Crore plan to develop ten new cities to expand manufacturing and services sectors while easing population congestion is also part of the agenda. Simultaneously, digitization of land records is set to be one of the priority reforms, with the government potentially allocating ₹1,035 crore to complete the digitization of all land records by December 2026. Other initiatives under Jan Vishwas 2.0 include reducing citizen compliance burdens, operationalizing anti-paper leak measures, and enhancing digital delivery mechanisms for citizen services.

The government might also consider several measures in the shipping and logistics sector. Sources said a flexible framework for the sale of products manufactured in special economic zones in the domestic market, and streamlined approval processes are also under consideration.

Further plans involve Digitization in the legal and Judicial prcesses, launching e-passports, sanctioning projects for the North-east, and enhancing global engagement through new missions and summits. T

The government might also consider several measures in the shipping and logistics sector, such as a flexible framework for the sale of products manufactured in special economic zones in the domestic market and streamlined approval processes.

"In 2014, I had a manifesto for five years. In 2019, I drew some attention to the global picture. In 2024, my thinking is a little big and for the long term. I have been working on it for the last 5 years for India @ 2047. Two generations of officers must have retired while working on this vision document and many new people have come," PM Modi told India Today during his election campaign.

Among the ten strategy groups, the Finance and Economy group is led by Union Finance Secretary TV Somanathan and includes representation from the NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Statistics. The Commerce and Trade strategy group is headed by the Commerce Secretary, with Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran participating in both groups. The Agriculture Secretary is the convenor of the Rural Development and Agriculture group, while the Housing and Urban Development Secretary leads the Infrastructure group, covering railways, roads and highways, telecom, shipping and ports, aviation, and housing. The Economic Affairs Secretary is part of both the Finance and Infrastructure groups.

The Petroleum Secretary convenes the Energy vertical, encompassing coal, power, mining, renewable energy, and steel, among other sectors. The Secretary of Culture leads the Social Sector strategy group, covering major government schemes, while the DoPT Secretary heads the Governance group. Each of the ten Strategy Groups of Secretaries (SGOS) has a coordinating secretary and five to eight additional secretaries from relevant ministries and departments. These groups cover sectors such as governance, security and foreign affairs, rural and agriculture, resources, welfare, social issues, infrastructure, commerce and industry, finance, and economy and technology.