PM Narendra Modi in his opening address at the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog has said that the goal to make India a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2024 is challenging but achievable, if there are concerted efforts from each state of the country. This vital message from the meeting, that states should play more prolific roles for realization of the overall national developmental objectives is perhaps crucial, if viewed in light of the muchdebated centre-state relationship issue which many experts believe has got a new dimension after the formation ofNiti Aayog.

National Institution for Transforming India(NITI) Aayog is fundamentally a policy think tank of Government of India and state governments that replaced the 65-year old Planning Commission in 2015. And given the fact that it has a governing council comprising Chief Ministers of all states and Lt. Governors of UTs signifies that it has the aim of enhancing the concept of ‘co-operative federalism’ which in other words means that the states will also have their say in framing plans and policies for development specific to their requirements. Thus, it is a body which will keep its doors open for views flowing in from the central as well as state governments and based on these inputs it would provide strategic and technical advices to them on key policy matters. Although it doesn’t enjoy the power of allocating funds to states for attaining regional development unlike the erstwhile Planning Commission, it plays a no less important role of undertaking long term policies and design frameworks giving due weightage to the aspirational demands of states and take necessary initiatives for attaining faster development with active monitoring and thereby creating an atmosphere when the states will engage in a healthy competition among themselves.  

Chief ministers of the states who participated in this important meet highlighted their requirements and also shared suggestions candidly, including Arunachal Pradesh where more cooperation has been sought for adding pace to the on-going infrastructure projects like rail, road, air etc. It was also interesting to notice how the CMs, cutting across alliance colour were vocal with their demands. If there was pressure from Karnataka CM to extend GST compensation period beyond five years, Bihar CM went beyond the five-point agenda of the meeting to stress that Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are increasingly becoming burden for states and the Centre should fund fully or discontinue them.

And it goes without saying that given this democratic atmosphere of exchanging views, Niti Aayog although only four & a half years old is showing promises to be an example of a nice participatory forum for drawing blueprints of progress.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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