At the third meeting of the Governing Council, NITI Aayog, the CEO, NITI, Shri Amitabh Kant, apprised the gathering of the work done by Niti Aayog for transforming the economy and cooperation with States in the sectors of education, health, infrastructure etc.
He spoke of the work done by the sub-groups of Chief Ministers on rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Swachh Bharat Mission and Skill Development.
He outlined initiatives taken in areas such as agriculture, poverty elimination, health, education, digital payments, disinvestment, coastal zone and island development etc.
He said that NITI will work with States to improve basic services and infrastructure, in districts and regions which require specific attention. He reiterated its resolve to facilitate partnership with States for transforming India under the framework of cooperative and competitive federalism. He requested the states to treat NITI as their outpost in Delhi.
NITI Aayog is working on a platform for sharing best practices to strengthen the learning ecosystem. It has partnered with large number of top ranking Institutions for knowledge sharing and ideation, to nurture evidence based policy making.
Vice Chairman, NITI Dr Arvind Panagariya set out the new approach which envisages a 15 year long term vision, accompanied by a 7 year strategy and a 3 year action agenda. He gave an outline of the draft Action Agenda circulated at the meeting, which had been prepared with inputs from the states.
He noted that there were over 300 specific action points that had been identified, covering the whole gamut of sectors. The period of the Action Agenda coincided with the period of the 14th Finance Commission’s award. This gave stability to the funding estimates of both Centre and States. He solicited the inputs and support of the states in taking the vision forward.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi called upon State Governments to work with the Union Government, as “Team India,” to build the India of the dreams of our freedom fighters by 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence. Delivering the closing remarks at the third meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, he urged States, local Governments and all Government and Non-Government organizations to decide goals for 2022, and work in mission mode towards achieving them.
Shri Narendra Modi said that the District Mineral Fund, the CAMPA Fund, and the construction workers welfare fund, would provide significant boost to the resources of the State. He asked NITI Aayog to come up with a roadmap for better utilization of such funds by the States.
The Prime Minister urged States to join the Ek-Bharat, Shresth Bharat initiative, which was launched on Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary last year.