10 Chief Ministers Absent at NITI Aayog's Key Meeting with PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the ninth Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, attended by 26 participants, including Chief Ministers and Lt Governors of Union Territories. However, 10 states and UTs did not participate in the meeting, according to NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam.

Representative image

The absentees included Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Puducherry. Subrahmanyam remarked that it was their loss for not attending. He also mentioned that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of the meeting after her request to speak before lunch was accepted.

Focus on Economic Growth

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery highlighted Prime Minister Modi's call for states to compete for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to ensure investments reach all regions, especially those less successful. The meeting also addressed demographic management and the concept of zero poverty.

Subrahmanyam noted that the Prime Minister wants states to increase spending on districts to drive growth. Modi appreciated the idea of zero poverty proposed by some states and suggested targeting it at the village level. Villages could be declared zero poverty zones after proper assessment.

Vision India @2047

The NITI Aayog is working on finalising the Vision India @2047 document within the next 45 days after receiving feedback from state chief ministers. Over the past year, several states have progressed in preparing their vision documents. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu have already prepared theirs.

In addition to these states, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, and a few others are in the process of creating their vision documents. The vision document aims to help India become a developed economy worth USD 30 trillion by 2047.

Aspirational District Programme

Subrahmanyam emphasised that the Prime Minister praised the success of the Aspirational District Programme due to its clear goals and monitorable targets. This programme is part of a broader vision to consolidate various sectoral thematic visions into a unified vision for Viksit Bharat @2047.

This comprehensive vision includes aspects such as economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance. The goal is to transform India into a developed nation by its 100th year of independence in 2047.

Regarding Bihar's absence from the meeting, Subrahmanyam explained that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was occupied with the state assembly session. Despite some officials continuing to attend after Mamata Banerjee's departure, her walkout was notable.

The Prime Minister's address underscored the importance of states competing for FDI and investing more in districts to foster growth. The focus on zero poverty at the village level is seen as a crucial step towards achieving this goal.

The NITI Aayog's efforts in consolidating various sectoral visions into a comprehensive plan reflect India's ambition to achieve significant milestones by 2047. The participation of states in this endeavour is critical for its success.