After a mid-term review, the Prime Minister has identified more than a dozen thrust areas. These will form the core of UPA Government's governance agenda in the near term.

The Prime Minister's Office has devised a mechanism to monitor, on a monthly basis, the progress of government and public sector programmes in these areas. The Ministries and Offices concerned have been requested to give an update in terms of status, milestones, and time lines for achievement of targeted indicators, difficulties and any other development which require coordination by the Prime Minister's Office.

The time frame, as intimated by the Principal Secretary to PM, Shri Pulok Chatterji, will be:

(i) Uploading of Ministry's report - by 5th of each month;

(ii) Posting of status and comments on sector side - by 9th;

(iii) Collation, with comments, into a consolidated monthly report, by the monitoring unit, and submission to PM - by 12th;

(iv) Report submission by Ministries and all subsequent steps till submission of the consolidated monthly report will be done over the Internet/PMO Intranet. Website and software for this are ready.

The thrust areas identified include:

(i) Lok Pal Bill;

(ii) Electoral Reforms;

(iii) Operationalisation of Gram Nyayalayas;

(iv) Proposed public procurement law;

(v) Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill;

(vi) Implementation of the eight Climate Change Missions;

(vii) Follow-up on the recommendations of the 2nd ARC;

(viii) Addressing malnutrition;

(ix) Skill development training;

(x) Follow-up on Sachar Committee's recommendations;

(xi) Health insurance coverage under Rashtriya Swasthya Beema Yojana;

(xii) Creation and management of cold chain infrastructure for agriculture;

(xiii) Implementation of NHDP;

(xiv) Prime Minister's announcements for the Northeast;

(xv) Prime Minister's announcements for J&K;

(xvi) Sea Ports;

(xvii) Judicial Accountability Bill;

(xviii) Grievance Redressal Bill;

(xix) Coal, power distribution and fertilizer sectors.

The Principal Secretary to PM has been asked by the Prime Minister to brief him every month on the progress achieved in these thrust areas. Prime Minister's directions in respect of each of the thrust area will then be communicated back to the Ministries/Offices concerned and followed up by the sectoral officer in the PMO.