New Delhi: Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spelt out his government's vision 2024 at
the NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In his
opening remarks, he said the goal to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by
2024, was challenging, but achievable. He also underscored the role of state
governments in developing the economy, saying their focus should be on the
promotion of export. This is the first meeting of the planning body after the
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance formed a new government at the centre
after a stellar win in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election. The meeting
was attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories,
union ministers and senior government officials. Three Chief Ministers - Mamata
Banerjee, K Chandrashekar Rao and Amarinder Singh - skipped the meet.
Here is your 10-point cheat sheet to NITI Aayog's governing
council meeting:
PM Modi said
states should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP
targets right from the district level.
PM Modi said
export sector is an important element in the progress of developing countries,
adding that both the centre and the states should work towards growth in
exports to raise per capita incomes.
PM Modi also spoke
about water conservation and management. He sought the states' cooperation in
the efforts. He said the aim was to provide piped water to every rural home by
2024.
On health front,
PM Modi said tuberculosis should be wiped out by 2025. He urged states that
have not implemented the central government's health insurance scheme to come
on-board.
"PM has
announced a high-level task force to bring structural reforms in agriculture in
the country. It will be formed in near future and report will be submitted in
next 2-3 months": NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said after the
meeting.
In the meet,
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded Special Category
Status (SCS) for his state. "It is disheartening when we hear several
rumours and excuses for not granting special category status," he said.
Kerala Chief
Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at the meeting that the NITI Aayog was not a
substitute of planning commission. "I hope that my colleague Chief
Ministers would agree with me that NITI Aayog in the present form has not
played the much expected role of a facilitator in the last four years. There is
growing realisation that it is perhaps not a substitute for the erstwhile
Planning Commission," he was quoted by news agency PTI.
Punjab Chief
Minister Amarinder Singh didn't attend the meeting. He, however, sent copies of
his address. Expressing concern over the water crisis in Northern India, Mr
Singh on Saturday sought the Prime Minister's support for the upgradation of
his state's water distribution infrastructure, while calling for a fresh river
waters tribunal to address the disputes among neighbouring states.
Mr Singh urged the
Government of India to increase the annual assistance under PM-KISAN scheme
from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 12,000 per farmer.
West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is up in arms against the BJP in her state,
refused to attend the NITI Aayog meeting. She said it was
"unacceptable" that the centre should expect states to discuss only
specific agendas that it brings to the table.
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