An essential step in delivering on the government's promise of maximum governance and minimum government is the re-organisation of existing power structures. Here are some ideas for the Modi government. This is the first part of a series which shall follow

The formation of Modi government has the financial markets in a tizzy and bureaucrats on their toes. Much is expected in the coming weeks in the form of announcements and key posts but all eyes are on the upcoming budget and as some have speculated, a cabinet expansion. The following list is a pared down version of a larger set of ideas, some of which were settled in the initial government formation after 26 May 2014.

Here, we take a look at some out of the box ideas for streamlining and specialising the work flow in the government:
a. The Ministry of Home should be rechristened the Ministry of Internal Security.

b. Create a new ministry exclusively for defence production, procurement and requirements which will work directly under the Prime Minister to be called Ministry of Defence Requirements.

c. Create a new Ministry for Development of Electronics and White Goods Manufacturing again to work directly under P.M.

d. Create a separate Ministry for Development of Animal husbandry, Dairy farming, Poultry and Fisheries with separate departments to deal with each one of them.

e. Create a new Ministry for Cash crops with separate departments for sugarcane, cotton, oil seeds, pulses, rubber, tea, coffee, horticulture, fruits, vegetables, co-operative farming and food processing.

f. Create a new Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources with the existing Ministry of Water Resources to be subsumed by it. The responsibility of this ministry should be to to go all out in creating permanent irrigation facilities (Canals, sub canals, digging reservoirs and water bore wells ) for lands having only one monsoon based crop per year particularly in eastern states of Bihar, central and east U.P, Jharkhand, Orissa etc

g. Ministry of Minerals and Natural Resources- This new ministry will subsume the existing ministries of Coal, Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gases to bring all of these under one umbrella for quick and better coordination.

h. Ministry of Industry and Public Sector Enterprises- it will subsume the existing Ministry of Steel and Ministry of Textiles. The separate ministry of disinvestment, ministry of chemicals and fertilizers to be abolished.

i. Ministry of Power to be renamed as Ministry of Energy and it will subsume the Ministry of New and Renewable energy and Atomic energy.

j. Ministry of Tourism to be renamed as Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality services- so as to also look after development of hotels, motels, guest houses and restaurants.

k. Ministry of Culture should be merged with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

l. Ministry of Commerce and Industry should be renamed as Ministry of Commerce and Trade.

m. Ministry of Communication and Information Technology should be disbanded and communication affairs should be merged with Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Information Technology to be clubbed with Ministry of Science and Technology.

n. Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Tribal Affairs should be merged and renamed as Ministry for the Welfare of Underprivileged Citizens.

o. Ministry of Housing and Urban poverty alleviation should be renamed as Ministry of Housing Development with exclusive focus on development of housing.

p. Ministry of Women and Child development should be merged with ministry of Health and Family welfare.

q. Ministry of Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions should be renamed as Ministry for Welfare of Govt employees.

r. Create two separate ministries—one for Public complaints and grievances and another for Grievances of business, commerce and industry

s. Create a new Ministry called Ministry of Coordination to ensure coordination between centre and states.

Needless to say, some of these ideas may seem like a mere renaming exercise, but in the larger context, it helps provide focus and better distribution of responsibilities as new departments crop up with a growing economy. Be that as it may, a running discussion on these issues is the order of the day when the citizens of our country have more at stake in the government's performance than ever before.

(Kolkata-based Dalbir Chhibbar practised as a CA till 1990 and later started his own buinsess)