According to reports, Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan gave a detailed presentation on the performance of ministries and departments. The review focused on key administrative parameters such as file clearance, grievance redressal, delays in decision-making and responses to Cabinet proposals.

The exercise is being described as a major push toward performance-based governance. Reports said this was one of the first such structured assessments where ministries were compared on administrative efficiency rather than only policy announcements or scheme launches. The objective appears to be faster governance, better accountability and quicker service delivery to citizens.

The main yardstick for the appraisal was how quickly ministries handled public complaints and cleared pending files. Ministries were also assessed on their responsiveness to Cabinet-related work and their ability to avoid administrative delays.

Following the meeting, several ministers reportedly began reviewing their departments’ performance. The move came after some ministries were rated only “satisfactory”, prompting immediate internal discussions on how to improve performance indicators before the next review cycle.

Reports also said that ministries such as Consumer Affairs, Coal, Power and Health were counted among the stronger performers in different categories. Consumer Affairs reportedly performed well in grievance resolution, while Coal was noted for file disposal and administrative management.

The review meeting also fits into the government’s larger governance message of faster decision-making, ease of living and Viksit Bharat 2047. Prime Minister Modi reportedly asked ministers and officials to focus on reducing delays and improving outcomes for citizens.

A day after the meeting, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a high-level review with senior officials of the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries. According to a PIB release, he instructed officials to create a planned, time-bound and result-oriented mechanism so that farmers, rural citizens and the poor do not have to run from pillar to post for benefits or grievance redressal.

The Agriculture Minister also stressed that mere disposal of complaints is not enough and that ground-level resolution must be ensured. He called for monthly reviews, simplification of rules and greater use of AI, data and digital governance to improve administrative efficiency.

The latest development signals a shift from routine governance reviews to measurable performance tracking. Ministries are now being judged on how quickly they respond, how efficiently they clear files and how effectively they resolve citizen complaints.

For citizens, the impact of such a review could be significant if ministries act seriously on the findings. Faster file movement can speed up project approvals, quicker grievance redressal can reduce public frustration, and better administrative coordination can improve delivery of government schemes.

However, the real test will be implementation. A performance presentation alone cannot change governance unless ministries continuously monitor pending issues, fix internal bottlenecks and hold officials accountable for delays.

The appraisal also sends a message to the bureaucracy that delays, file pendency and slow complaint handling will be closely watched. If repeated regularly, such reviews could become an important tool to improve administrative discipline across ministries.

Overall, the PM Modi-led appraisal appears to have triggered a fresh performance push inside the government. Several ministers have begun internal reviews, and the focus is now on translating “satisfactory” ratings into faster, more visible governance outcomes.