By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 26 Mar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold crucial discussions with senior officials, including the chief secretaries of the states on future prospects and emerging challenges during a meeting scheduled for tomorrow. On behalf of Uttarakhand, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan will participate.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has in this regard formally communicated the agenda to the Uttarakhand Government. A letter sent by the PMO has directed the Chief Secretary’s office to make necessary preparations for the scheduled meeting.
Following receipt of the communication from the Prime Minister’s Office, the administrative activity has intensified at the state level. The letter states that PM Modi will hold an important meeting with officials from across the country, particularly the Chief Secretaries of all states, to deliberate upon future possibilities, prevailing global conditions and their potential impact on India.
Speaking informally with media persons, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has confirmed receipt of the communication from the PMO. The meeting is scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in which the participation of Chief Secretaries from all states, including Uttarakhand, has been made mandatory.
The meeting is being held in the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which have begun to impact global markets including the Indian markets. In particular, disruptions in the supply and pricing of petroleum products are being closely observed. For a large consumer country like India, which depends significantly on imports to meet its energy requirements, such developments carry considerable importance.
Against this backdrop, PM Modi has taken an initiative towards establishing direct communication with top administrative officers of the states with the primary objective to assess the preparedness of various states in the face of the prevailing global crisis and to issue necessary directions. Special emphasis is likely to be placed on understanding the potential challenges states may face in the event of disruptions in supply chains.
According to the sources, the discussions at the meeting are likely to cover key areas such as availability of essential commodities, fuel supply, logistics management and emergency preparedness. The PM is also likely to review the readiness levels of states under the current circumstances. In addition the Union Government may outline possible strategies and guidelines to address the emerging challenges due to the extra ordinary global circumstances prevailing at present.
For Uttarakhand, the meeting is considered particularly significant, as it coincides with the onset of the tourism season in the state. Additionally, a visit by Modi to Uttarakhand is proposed in the first week of April. The Chief Secretary’s office is leant to be preparing for the meeting. All the departments concerned have been directed to keep updated data and status reports ready to ensure accurate and effective presentation during the discussions. Departments related to food supply, energy, transport and disaster management have been placed on alert mode.
From both the political and the administrative perspectives, the meeting is being seen to hold a considerable importance as the Union Government appears to be taking the evolving international situation seriously and is keen to ensure timely preparedness at the state level. This approach is expected to help maintain stability in supply systems and minimise the potential impact on the general public. In light of these facts, tomorrow’s meeting can’t be considered to be just another routine interaction but is being seen as a significant exercise in assessing national preparedness.
