PM Calls for Citizen-Centric Reforms and Self-Reliance

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance, GS3/ Economy

Context

• PM Modi  in a meeting urged the Secretaries of all Union Ministries and Departments to prioritise three core governance objectives—ease of doing business, ease of living, and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance).

What is Ease of Doing Business

• Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) refers to the extent to which the regulatory, administrative and institutional environment enables businesses to start, operate, expand and close with minimum cost, time and procedural hurdles.

India’s Progress in Ease of Doing Business

• India improved its rank in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019, reflecting significant improvements in the regulatory environment.
• India’s position in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking improved from 43 in 2021 to 41 in 2025.
• India has consistently been placed in Group A of the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index, indicating advanced digital governance capabilities.
• The United Nations E-Government Survey has recognized India’s progress in online public services, digital infrastructure, and technology-enabled governance.

Key Government Initiatives

• The Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) has digitised land records and cadastral maps, reducing disputes and improving transparency.
  • The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) has created a unique digital identity for land parcels, enabling accurate land management.
• Labour Reforms: The Labour Codes have consolidated multiple labour laws into simplified legal frameworks.
  • Single registration, single returns, and all-India licences have reduced compliance costs for businesses.
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has expanded procurement opportunities for MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs, and self-help groups through a transparent digital platform. It has promoted inclusive participation in public procurement.
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has created an open and interoperable digital commerce ecosystem that enables small businesses to compete on equal terms with large e-commerce platforms.
• Environmental Clearances: The PARIVESH portal has digitised environmental, forest, wildlife, and coastal regulation clearances.
• MSME Formalisation: The Udyam Registration Portal has enabled paperless and self-declaration-based registration of MSMEs.
• Jan Vishwas Reforms have decriminalised hundreds of minor business-related offences. These reforms have reduced the fear of criminal prosecution for procedural violations and encouraged voluntary compliance.

What is Ease of Living?

• Ease of Living refers to the ability of citizens to access basic services, opportunities, infrastructure, and governance in a convenient, affordable, and dignified manner.
• It focuses on improving the quality of everyday life by ensuring access to housing, healthcare, sanitation, transportation, financial services, and digital governance.
  • It is a key pillar of inclusive and sustainable development.
• India has taken various initiatives for enhancing ease of living through enhanced access to housing, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, financial services, connectivity, and citizen-centric governance.

Key Government Initiatives

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna Urban (PMAY-U): India has significantly expanded access to affordable housing through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
• The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with its goal of Har Ghar Jal, has delivered rapid expansion in piped water access. As of June 2026, over 15.86 (81.94%) crore households enjoy clean piped water.
• The JAM Trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile became India’s welfare delivery backbone.
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) was the first pillar, opening banking access for crores of excluded citizens.
  • In FY 2024–25 alone, ₹6.9 lakh crore was credited directly under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes.
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna (PMMY): More than 57 crore collateral-free loans have been sanctioned to micro and small entrepreneurs. Women account for nearly two-thirds of Mudra beneficiaries.

What is Atmanirbhar Bharat?

• Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) is a national development strategy aimed at strengthening India’s domestic capabilities in manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, innovation and strategic sectors while remaining integrated with global value chains.

Key Government Initiatives

• Make in India: Launched in 2014, it seeks to transform India into a global manufacturing hub by promoting investment, fostering innovation, and building world-class infrastructure.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme: Introduced to boost domestic manufacturing by providing performance-linked financial incentives across key sectors, while integrating Indian industries with global value chains.
• Startup India: Launched in 2016 to build a startup ecosystem through regulatory simplification, tax incentives, funding support, incubation, and innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
• India Semiconductor Mission aims to develop a resilient semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem by supporting fabrication facilities, chip design, packaging, and research to strengthen technological self-reliance.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission: Launched in 2023 to position India as a global hub for the production, utilisation, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives, while supporting energy security and decarbonisation.
• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan: The initiative promotes integrated infrastructure planning across sectors.
  • It reduces project delays and improves coordination among government agencies.

What are the challenges?

• Institutional Bottlenecks: Complex regulations, compliance burdens, and delays in approvals affect businesses and public service delivery.
• Inter-Departmental Coordination: Departmental silos and limited coordination among ministries lead to policy overlaps, implementation delays, and inefficient resource utilisation.
• Regional Disparities: The variations persist across States and districts in access to infrastructure, healthcare, education, digital connectivity, and economic opportunities.
• Global Economic Uncertainties: Geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, climate risks, and protectionist measures pose challenges to sustained growth and self-reliance.

Way Ahead

• Strengthen the whole-of-government approach by breaking departmental silos, fostering integrated planning, and leveraging digital platforms such as PM Gati Shakti to improve governance, service delivery, and project implementation.
• Pursue citizen-centric and growth-oriented reforms that simultaneously improve ease of doing business, enhance ease of living, and strengthen Atmanirbhar Bharat, thereby accelerating India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

Source: TH, PIB, PIB