NITI Aayog Meeting

In News: 6th meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council was attended by Prime Minister, 26 Chief Ministers, three Lieutenant Governors and two administrators, besides Union Ministers, special invitees and NITI Aayog officials.

Key Highlights of PM’s Speech at Council’s meeting

• Three areas where states need to work:
  • Reducing compliance burden for citizens to ensure ease of living.
    • It can be achieved by use of technology.
  • Promote ease of doing business: States have to improve their laws, systems and meet the expectations of the citizens of the country.
    • It will help in harnessing the available Global opportunities.
    • The Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign has created a window for the private sector to climb up in the domestic and global market.
  • Better coordination between the Centre and the States for the country’s development.
    • States can take advantage of Central schemes like PLI to attract investments.
    • States have a 40% share in the National Infrastructure Pipeline and therefore, it is imperative that States and the Centre synergise their budgets, make plans, and set priorities.
• Agricultural Issues
  • Farm Laws were not discussed nor was there any demand to repeal them.
  • Issues which were discussed are as follows:
    • Aligning cropping system to agro-climatic conditions at the district level for optimal resource utilization.
    • Promoting water conservation.
    • Promoting diversification towards nutri-cereals, pulses, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry, food-processing agro-based industry and exports.
  • The PM highlighted that agrarian reforms are very important for farmers to get necessary economic resources, better infrastructure and modern technology.
  • Focus on Oil Crops: Despite being an agrarian economy, India imports edible oil worth ?65,000-70,000 crore, which can help Indian farmers.
• Views of Chief Ministers (CMs)
  • Rather than asking for financial aid, states focussed on Development oriented requests.
  • Most CMs emphasised on timely completion of infrastructure projects.
  • Bihar, which is a landlocked State, wants a special port in Odisha to handle their cargo.
    • A similar request for the port was made by Jharkhand also.
  • Rajasthan wanted the Indira Gandhi Canal to be given national status.

Source: TH