Populist sops could take states to path of Sri Lanka: Bureaucrats to PM

New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) In a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, few senior bureaucrats have warned that the populist sops announced by some states are economically not viable and could lead them to same path as Sri Lanka.On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi had marathon meetings with secretaries of all the department. Principal secretary to Prime Minister P.K Mishra, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauna and NSA Ajit Doval were also present in the meeting which lasted for nearly four hours.Sources said that over two dozens secretaries have expressed their views and this was ninth such meeting of Prime Minister Modi since 2014.It is learnt that referring to populist sops announced in the recent Assembly polls, few senior bureaucrats said that such sops are economically not viable and can take the state on the same path as Sri Lanka."Some secretaries said that populist schemes or sops were announced in the recent Assembly polls in the states, which are already in poor economic conditions. These sops are not economically viable and it can take state in the path of Sri Lanka," sources said.It is further learnt that Prime Minister Modi has asked the secretaries to think out of the box.Sources said the referring to team efforts during the Covid, Prime Minister said that they should act as secretary to Government of India not as secretary to their respective departments."Prime Minister Modi also asked secretaries to give suggestions and point out short comings in government policies, including to the department not related to them," the sources said.
--IANS ssb/shb/

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