A full-time Defence Minister was needed; but additional Ministries need focus too
Almost two-thirds of the way into the term of the BJP-led coalition at the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a large-scale reshuffle. There have been minor changes of guard here and there, but this was the first large-scale induction and promotion of Ministers. Some of the changes were warranted — appointing a full-time Defence Minister after Manohar Parrikar was sent back to shore up the party in Goa, topped the list. Nirmala Sitharaman has proven herself extremely capable in the Commerce Ministry even though part of her job was to stall free-trade agreements inimical to Indian interests. The Doklam stand-off, which led to an ostensibly favourable outcome, was negotiated adroitly by the Government but also highlighted just how important it is for India to build up defence preparedness. With several major deals on the backburner, like that for a new single-engine fighter jet, it is hoped that Sitharaman can conclude some negotiations. It is also notable that Nitin Gadkari, whose Road Transport and Highways Ministry has been working overtime to complete this Government’s ambitious road-building project, has been given additional responsibility for the Ganga rejuvenation project which is one of Modi’s main aims, particularly as his constituency, Varanasi, sits on an extremely polluted part of the river. Putting in one of his most capable ministers for this is a smart move. But it remains to be seen if Gadkari can handle two critical jobs himself. Similarly, Piyush Goyal is handling the Indian Railways where this Government’s equally ambitious high-speed railways project has been in a state of limbo, the planned ‘Diamond Quadrilateral’ of high-speed railway track still remains a manifesto promise. Goyal did much to improve the power situation and his plans of repairing India’s indebted state power corporations remains a work in progress. His work there will be handled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner, RK Sinha. Oddly, Sinha has in the past made his displeasure of this Government being run from the Prime Minister’s Office well-known. Also, the appointment of one of India’s finer recent diplomats, Hardeep Puri to the Housing and Urban Development Ministry is befuddling foreign-policy experts.
Odd appointments aside, the fact remains that far too many Ministers have a lot on their plates. While this newspaper does not value either the intelligence or the sincerity of the people in charge, with just around 20 months remaining in Narendra Modi’s term, there is not much time to make the fundamental reforms that this Government was expected to deliver. For that we feel that Ministries need dedicated full-time Ministers. Yes, the Goods and Services Tax was a major and overdue reform but many other plans remain on paper. As has been stated before, slow growth is not an option for India facing the huge demographic burden that it does. As the Prime Minister never hesitates to remind us, we are a country of youth. But those youth need jobs and they need those jobs fast. Maybe as some of the BJP’s allies have hinted this is just a first reshuffle and expansion and more Ministers will be appointed soon. If that is indeed the case, we hope that those appointments are made soon because the spring of 2019 is not too far away.