Ministry report cards unveiled at PM Modi meeting; 2025 performance rankings identify top and weak performers

The performance of various Union ministries under a new assessment mechanism piloted by the Cabinet Secretariat was presented during a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by Narendra Modi, according to people familiar with the developments.

The evaluation system, with scorecards presented by T. V. Somanathan on Thursday, assessed ministries across multiple categories and identified top and lower performers in specific areas.

Among the ministries that emerged as strong performers in different categories were the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Officials from the coal, power, steel and consumer affairs ministries confirmed their respective scores, though details regarding all category leaders were not publicly available. No ministry officially commented on the meeting proceedings.

The consumer affairs ministry reportedly secured the highest scores in grievance redressal and in handling challenges arising from the ongoing West Asia conflict. The coal ministry was rated highest in file disposal and management efficiency. The power and health ministries were also among the stronger performers in other evaluation areas.

According to officials familiar with the discussions, Somanathan said the aim of the assessment framework was to help ministries identify gaps, improve internal processes and encourage stronger performance standards. One of the factors considered was the quality of feedback and analysis ministries provided on inter-ministerial cabinet notes.

The ratings were announced after presentations by officials from NITI Aayog, including member Rajiv Gauba, on making government functioning more accessible and citizen-focused.

The meeting, which reportedly lasted over four hours, brought together cabinet ministers, ministers of state with independent charge and other ministers of state ahead of the second anniversary of Modi’s third term on June 9.

During his remarks, the Prime Minister reiterated the need for financial restraint and urged ministers and bureaucrats to adopt spending discipline as a standard practice.

People aware of the discussions said Modi also advised limiting overseas travel unless it directly served India’s strategic interests or contributed significantly to the country’s future goals. He further urged ministers to avoid large official convoys and indicated that the government may launch a campaign around the issue.

Ministries were also asked to avoid hosting international summits. Earlier this week, the government announced the cancellation of meetings linked to the Africa and Big Cat alliance initiatives in New Delhi.

The meeting, the first of its kind in nearly a year, focused heavily on mitigating potential energy disruptions and reviewed developments across nine sectors, including the economy, agriculture, labour and energy.

Officials said Modi stressed the need to accelerate efforts toward alternative energy sources such as biogas and renewables amid concerns surrounding disruptions in global energy supplies linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.