Zee Media Bureau/Biplob Ghosal
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has completed one month in office and it seems the country would have to intake more `bitter pills` being offered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for `acche din` (good days) in future.
In the past 30 days, the Narendra Modi-led NDA regime has scored high in maintaining international relations, especially with the neighbouring countries. But as far as domestic issues are concerned, the NDA government has come under severe scrutiny for failing to contain spiralling prices.
The recent move by the NDA government to hike the railway fares by 14.2 percent has further added to the woes of the common man, which is now asking where are “acche din”.
The Prime Minister seems to be fully aware how his unpopular decisions decisions will be received by the masses, which is evident from his recent statement, “I am well aware that my steps may dent the immense love that the country has given to me. But when my countrymen would realise that these steps would result in getting the financial health back, then I will regain that love.”
While addressing BJP workers in Panaji earlier this month, PM Modi had said, “Tough decisions and strong measures in the coming one or two years are needed to bring financial discipline, which will restore and boost the country’s self-confidence.”
PM Modi took everyone by surprise when he invited all the SAARC leaders for his swearing-in-ceremony. His another well-calculated move was his first foreign visit to Bhutan where he emphasised on strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Prime Minister has his eyes set on the `Look East Policy` and has timed his diplomatic moves with a firm focus on Asian giants China and Japan.
Other steps, which were highly appreciated on the domestic front were the Prime Minister`s clear direction to the secretaries of all the government departments to take decisions collectively without fear. The scrapping of EGOMs and Modi`s resolve to have a small Cabinet to fast-track decisions and to contain normal government expenditure were also welcomed.
During his first meet with the secretaries of government departments, PM Modi "encouraged the officers to take decisions and assured them that he would stand by them."
The PM further asked the top officials to remove bureaucratic hassles, simplify and streamline administrative rules and procedures in order to make them people-friendly, while expressing full faith in their commitment and competence to build a better future for the country.
During his election campaign, Narendra Modi had asked voters to give his party a mandate for at least 60 months to bring `acche din`, but it seems the `aam aadmi` , coping with sky-rocketing inflation, will have to wait a little longer to understand what BJP`s jargon ``acche din`` means.
