Why in news?
The Prime Minister recently chaired the 50th meeting of the PRAGATI platform. During this landmark session the government reviewed several ongoing infrastructure projects and citizen grievances. The meeting highlighted how the digital dashboard has helped accelerate project implementation and resolve most pending issues since its launch in 2015.
Background
PRAGATI stands for Pro‑Active Governance and Timely Implementation. It is an online governance platform launched on 25 March 2015 by the Prime Minister to bring together the Union government, state governments and local administrations on a single virtual table. The idea emerged from the SWAGAT initiative in Gujarat, which used video conferencing to address citizen complaints. PRAGATI uses these tools on a national scale to monitor large infrastructure projects, review welfare schemes and speed up the redressal of public grievances.
Key features
- Integrated dashboard: PRAGATI combines project monitoring, public grievance redressal and scheme implementation on a single portal. Officials can track progress and bottlenecks in real time.
- High‑level meetings: Once every month the Prime Minister and top officials hold a video conference with chief secretaries of the states. These meetings review stalled projects and direct immediate actions.
- Impactful outcomes: According to official data, more than 377 major projects worth around ₹85 lakh crore have been reviewed through PRAGATI. The platform has resolved over 94 percent of nearly 3,200 issues raised by states and citizens.
- Examples of acceleration: Projects such as the Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla rail link and the Navi Mumbai International Airport were expedited after being closely monitored through PRAGATI.
- Cooperative federalism: By bringing together multiple ministries and state governments, PRAGATI fosters a culture of collaboration and accountability. It ensures that decisions are taken quickly and that states receive timely support in resolving local problems.
Significance
- PRAGATI showcases how digital governance tools can break bureaucratic silos and improve coordination. Real‑time data helps reduce delays and cost overruns in infrastructure development.
- The platform’s grievance redressal function allows citizens to track the status of their complaints, promoting transparency and trust in government.
- By resolving bottlenecks in large projects, PRAGATI contributes to economic growth and job creation across India.
- The success of PRAGATI has inspired several states and departments to adopt similar dashboards for internal monitoring.
