NITI Aayog Meeting

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    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.

    About National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog)

    • Set up in 2015 to replace Planning Commission
    • An Executive Body (acts as a think tank and advisory body)
    • Composition of NITI Aayog
      • Chairperson: Prime Minister of India
      • Governing Council consists of the Chief Ministers of all the States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories in India.
      • Regional Councils will be created to address particular issues and possibilities affecting more than one state.
        • These will be formed for a fixed term and summoned by the PM.
        • These will be chaired by the Chairperson of the NITI Aayog or his nominee.
      • Special invitees: Eminent experts, specialists with relevant domain knowledge, which will be nominated by the Prime Minister.
    • Full-time organizational framework
      • Prime Minister as the Chairperson:
      • Vice-Chairperson (appointed by the Prime Minister)
      • Members:
        • Full-time
        • Part-time members on a rotational basis: Maximum of 2 members from foremost universities, leading research organizations, and other innovative organizations in an ex-officio capacity.
      • Ex Officio members: Maximum of 4 members of the Council of Ministers which is to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
      • Chief Executive Officer: CEO will be appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure. He will be in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.
    • Objective: To foster the spirit of Cooperative and Competitive federalism through structured support initiatives on a continuous basis.
    • Key Initiatives and Recent Achievements:
      • Aspirational Districts Scheme
      • 3 Documents: 3-year action agenda, 7-year medium-term strategy paper and 15-year vision document.
      • Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) programme in India
      • Promoted Zero Budget Natural Farming.
      • Promoting ‘Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ programme under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
      • Village Storage Scheme

    Source: TH

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