NITI meet: Modi to seek states' views on budget, infrastructure development - Livemint

Government set up NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) on 1 January to replace 65-year old socialist-era planning commission. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: At the first meeting of governing council of NITI Aayog on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek views of chief ministers and Lt. Governors on Budget 2015-16, flagship schemes and infrastructure projects like rail and roads to put the economy on high growth trajectory.

“The Prime Minister will interact with the chief ministers on Saturday to know their views about the first full year budget of the Centre to be presented on 28 February. Besides, he will seek their view on improving efficiency of the flagship schemes and processes to put India on high growth path,” a source said.

The meeting is expected to provide suggestions on setting up efficient processes and mechanisms for interaction between the Centre and states as also between NITI and other stakeholders to ensure synergy between different levels of government for a shared national development framework.

Government set up NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) on 1 January to replace 65-year old socialist-era planning commission. The meeting is also expected deliberate on the stalled infrastructure projects, especially rail and highways, for the development of the hinterland. The states have also been requested to give suggestion to make a success of the new central initiatives like Swachh Mission, Make in India campaign, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Smart Cities, Housing for All by 2022, Digital India, Skill India, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.

On Saturday, Modi along with finance minister Arun Jaitley had met economists at NITI Aayog to seek their suggestion on Budget and other policies to bring economy back on track.

The economists had asked the government to work towards high growth, predictable tax regime, fiscal prudence and rapid infrastructure development. Setting the tone for the discussion, Modi had emphasised on the need for cooperative federalism and added that he favoured healthy competition for development amongst states.

During the meeting Aayog’s vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya is likely to brief the council about the role to be played by the newly created body.

Besides two full-time members of Aayog, Bibek Debroy and V.K. Saraswat, the ex-officio members and special invitee to the body will attend the meeting. The ex-officio members are Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh , railway minister Suresh Prabhu and agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh.

The Aayog’s special invitees are road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari , social justice and empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot and human resource development minister Smriti Irani .