Narendra Modi to have 'minimum government, maximum governance policy'

A day before the swearing-in of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, the Gujarat government released a statement on Modi's 'minimum government, maximum governance' policy.

According to the press release, Modi's Cabinet will be limited to a few Cabinet ministers. His aim is to 'transform entity of assembled ministries to Organic Ministries' where a minister will head a cluster of ministries.

"Modi aims at 'smart governance' where the top layers of government will be downsized and there would be expansion at the grass root level," said the statement.

Senior BJP leader Arun Shourie had told CNN-IBN earlier this week about Modi's plan to downsize the Cabinet and cut it to half its present size.

By organic ministries, Modi aims at bringing more coordination between different departments. The focus is on convergence in the activities of various ministries where one Cabinet Minister will be heading a cluster of ministries who are working in complimentary sectors, said the statement.

While the top layers of Modi government would be downsized, there would be expansion at grass root level, ultimately aiming for 'smart governance'.

On one hand where hectic preparations are on for the swearing-in ceremony, BJP leaders too are busy in consultations over portfolio distribution. While it is almost confirmed that Rajnath Singh will be inducted into the government as Home Minister, Arun Jaitley remains the frontrunner for Finance Ministry.

Arun Shourie and MJ Akbar are likely to be roped in as key advisors. Nitin Gadkari has presented the idea of clubbing ministries of Railways along with surface transport.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders like Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi are also set to be inducted in the union council of ministers.