Union Ministers go for carpool to attend ‘Chintan Shivirs’

In a unique move, Union ministers have been practising carpooling while going for ‘Chintan Shivirs’ — meetings of the Union Council of Ministers — being held to improve efficiency, delivery of services and overall governance, sources said on Tuesday. Three such meetings have already been held so far on efficiency, time management, focussed implementation of projects and policies, and dealing with stakeholders. The fourth meeting is being held on Tuesday, they said.

According to sources, the carpooling practice apparently started from the third meeting.

One cabinet minister is usually accompanied by two ministers of state in the same car. Preferably all three ministers will be from different ministries and states, sources said.

This exercise aims to increase interaction between ministers. A different set of ministers of state accompany a Cabinet minister in each meeting, they said.

In the previous ‘Chintan Shivirs’, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Mansukh Mandaviya, Piyush Goyal, Gajendra Shekhawat, Narendra Singh Tomar and Hardeep Singh Puri have given presentations.

These presentations were followed by free-wheeling discussions on various relevant topics, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave suggestions, the sources said.

The fourth meeting is being held on Tuesday where two Union Ministers are expected to give presentations on general issues related to governance and day-to-day matters ministers handle, the sources said.