While it is known that Modi does believe in the dictum of Minimum Government, Maximum Governance, the Covid-19 pandemic cornered him to shift from the Minimum Government to Maximum Government. Initially, acceding to the demand of the opposition and state governments, he sought to share responsibility for Covid-19 management with the state governments, but he was soon asked to take the full responsibility - which he has done.

Since the Covid pandemic management has stressed the resources of the Union, the PM is said to be keen to draft efficient politicians in the cabinet to deal with the aggravated economic woes of the last one and a half years, resulting in the loss of jobs for millions of people particularly in the informal sector that contributes almost 50% of GDP and employs 90% of the workforce.  

If the country has to regain its lost economic momentum, it goes without saying that the informal sector needs to be nursed back because the formal sector is quite capable of managing its problems.

So the Cabinet changes, if they take place at all, have to show the government commitments to improving the plight of the informal sector. Already, the government is seen making changes to reflect its new commitment by way of mergers of departments and ministries to improve coordination among them.

For instance, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs that largely looks after overseas Indian workers have been merged into the Ministry of External Affairs. The name of the Ministry of Human Resources has been changed to the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is now known as the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. The ministry of shipping has now become the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The Ministry of water resources has been renamed the Ministry of Water Resources, Ganga Rejuvenation, and River Development giving a clear indication that cleaning the Ganga is high on the government’s list of priorities. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying have become a separate ministry that was earlier under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The objective behind these changes is said to take the country onto the path of white and blue revolutions where the informal sector plays a crucial role.

Further, the government is said to have plans to hand over the skill development department to the sports and youth affairs ministry. It is also proposed to merge ministries of all the three modes of transportation - Railways, Roadways, and Airways - into one.

Possibly, the government may need to move towards more reforms and better administration to cope with the problems which are seen gathering on the horizon.