Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog on Saturday, said it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India and take up fight against poverty, unemployment and corruption.
Recalling the recent General Elections as the world’s largest democratic exercise, Modi said ”It is now time for everyone to work for the development of India.”
There should be a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence, Mr Modi said.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh have skipped the meeting.
The Prime Minister said that everyone at this platform has a common goal of achieving a New India by 2022. He described Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and PM Awaas Yojana as illustrations of what the Centre and the states can accomplish together.
Modi said empowerment, and ease of living, have to be provided to each and every Indian. He said the goals that have been set for the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, should be accomplished by October 2nd, and work should begin in earnest towards the goals for 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence.
The Prime Minister stressed that the focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short term and long term goals. ”The goal to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024, is challenging, but can surely be achieved,” he said, adding that states should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level.
The council meet is underway wherein key developmental issues and inter-departmental matters and centre-states relations would be debated in the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’.
The agenda before the Fifth Council Meeting include rain-water harvesting, drought situation and relief measures, aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture, and security related issues with specific focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts.
Most of the chief ministers and union territories are taking part in the exercise, which will discuss all financial and security-related issues.
West Bengal CM Banerjee had earlier stated that ”the thinktank has no power and the meetings are fruitless”.
This is also be the first meeting of new Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, who will seek the Special Category Status to his state.
Amid intense speculation of Reddy-led YSRCP inching closer to BJP, the new Andhra Pradesh chief minister met home minister Amit Shah on Friday and sought his help to “soften Prime Minister’s heart” on the issue of Special Category Status for the bifurcated state.
The Council meeting comes in the wake of recent NSSO report which revealed that the unemployment rate was at 45-year high and GDP rate slipping down to 5.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018-19, the sources added. (UNI)
