Social media video on govt's first month's performance

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on social media, the government today released on YouTube and other sites a five-and-a-half minute video clip projecting highlights of the NDA's first month in office.

From telling about "farsighted" initiatives in foreign policy, efforts to improve government functioning, achievements in the economic front and tourism, the video, which is Hindi, also describes the possibility of a weak monsoon as a potential challenge while enumerating steps taken to counter it.

The new government had taken over exactly a month ago. After a visual with Modi's picture and title - 'Pradhan Mantri ki prathmiktayein' (Priorities of the Prime Minister), the video begins with a scene of the Prime Minister's oath taking ceremony.

It says that a new tradition was established when heads of all SAARC countries were invited for the oath taking.

The narrator goes on to say that while many lauded the move as a "masterstroke", people realised the benefits when Pakistan and Sri Lanka freed Indian fishermen from their custody.
The video then speaks of the setting up of a Special Task Force (STF) on black money by the government to get back illegal funds stashed abroad.

It also talks of the 10-point agenda of the Prime Minister. The first point of the agenda is to ensure that roadblocks on the path to economic progress have to be removed. Another priority on the government agenda is education, energy and water sectors, the video says.

It further talks of major changes in the infrastructure sector. The video also says that by abolishing all Group of Ministers (GoMs) and Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoMs), the Prime Minister has attempted to do away with a system which caused delays in decision making.

The video, released by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry with the title - Skill, Scale and Speed - Mantra of new Governance, is understood to be a first of its kind initiative.

The video also credits the Prime Minister for emphasising on a new work culture for government by stressing on punctuality and working for the people in a time-bound manner. The video also has clips of Modi's speeches where he talks of "development of all with everyone's support".

The video mentions that the Modi government had in its first month also held several meetings regarding steps needed to protect the common people from the effects of a weak monsoon.

It tells about the decision to allow the height of the dam on river Narmada in Gujarat as an achievement saying it would help in generation of more power and irrigate more areas. It also shows scenes of the Prime Minister's visit to Navy aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

The video further talks of positive signs on the economic front. It mentioned improvement in investor confidence and rise in Sensex after the formation of a stable government. It said that languishing projects were also getting back on track.

It claims that 10 per cent more tourists had visited the country in the first month of the Modi government. It also speaks of the Prime Minister's decision to choose the crucial neighbouring state of Bhutan as his first foreign visit as another of the important decision in the government's first month in office.