PM Modi to chair first council of ministers' meeting today; likely to discuss long and short term agenda

NEW DELHI: The first meeting of the Union council of ministers after allocation of portfolios will be held on Wednesday and is likely to discuss the agenda of the government both in the short and long term. The meeting is being held a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with all central government secretaries. It will follow a meeting of the Union Cabinet. Sources said the meeting is expected to discuss the preparations for the Union Budget which will be presented on July 5. The budget will be the first statement of intent of the new National Democratic Alliance government under Prime Minister Modi and is expected to lay out a broad outline of the government's thinking over the next five years. The government also has key bills on its agenda during the parliament session beginning next week, including legislations to replace 10 ordinances. Apart from the 100-day agenda being worked upon by various ministries, the government has set out goals for 2022, when the country will celebrate 75 years of independence. It has also spelled out some ambitious targets for the next five years such as providing all households with piped water. In his meeting with the secretaries on Monday, Modi had asked them to plan, create roadmaps and take decisions to make India a five-trillion-dollar economy while making "ease of living" their top priority. He had also touched upon the importance of "Make in India" and steps to improve "ease of living" for the people. Modi had lauded officials for their work in planning and execution on the ground, noting that the mandate in the Lok Sabha polls reflected the will and aspirations of the people to change the "status quo" and seek a better life for themselves. The BJP-led NDA returned with a greater majority in the 2019 election as the BJP's tally went up from 282 seats in 2014 to 303 in 2019. ALSO WATCH: Cyclone Vayu may hit Gujarat coast tomorrow