NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reviewing the performance of select ministries, especially in the second wave of Covid, in a series of meetings beginning Thursday. Amid reports of a possible cabinet expansion, PM Modi on Friday reviewed the performance of select ministries, especially during the second wave of Covid-19, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda.

Signals big changes ahead based on the assessment of how the ministers performed. Some ministers were also present at today’s meting amid speculation about a reshuffle in the Union cabinet, an exercise Modi has not undertaken since forming the government for a second time in May 2019.

There is also talk of a major social scheme to be announced in the next few days as the party preps for important elections next year, including in Uttar Pradesh. The Prime Minister held a similar meeting for well over five hours yesterday at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg home with seven ministries and assessed the work done by them during the April-May Covid crisis, when the scale of virus cases and deaths were seen to have caught the government unprepared. Dharmendra Pradhan, Prakash Javadekar and Hardeep Puri were among the Union Ministers he met.

With the party now gearing up for the next round of assembly polls in five states early next year, including in all important Uttar Pradesh, it is expected to take various measures to bolster its social equation. Sources said it is an annual exercise that usually takes place before the anniversary of the Modi government but was delayed this time due to the pandemic. Since it is a performance review, it has fueled speculation of a cabinet expansion, said to be long overdue. There are around half a dozen ministers who hold more than one ministry.

The deliberations among the top BJP leaders at the prime minister’s residence came a day after Shah also met party allies from Uttar Pradesh, including Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel who was a minister in the first Modi government but was not inducted in the next. There has been no official word from the party on these deliberations.
The BJP has of late engaged in the review of its organisation and government works in different states. The review meeting comes days after the Prime Minister announced that the centre would take back control of vaccination from states and provide vaccines free of charge to all above 18 from June 21.
Under review were Petroleum Ministry, Steel Ministry, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change. Usually, the Council of Ministers meets after the Cabinet meeting every month. But this time, the meeting was held independently.
(With Agency Inputs).

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