PM Modi appreciated the role of CMs in developing the states.Lauding the role of Chief Ministers in policy formation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this was the first time the Chief Ministers had been asked to recommend the list of Centrally sponsored schemes and the sharing pattern.
They have given vital inputs on Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Swachh Bharat, Skill Development and Digital payments The highlight of the meeting is a presentation by NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya on the government’s 15-year Vision document, which will not only have broad targets for the economic and social sector but also map objectives in internal security and defence.
Two other presentations will be held — one that outlines the government’s strategy over the next seven years and a three-year action plan. The government has already made it clear that it is dumping five-year-plans, since it is as too short a period. All schemes under this format ended this year.
The Council is also discussing the progress made towards implementing the Goods and Services Tax or GST from July 1. The Centre’s flagship tax revamp will subsume a slew of indirect taxes levied by the Centre and the states and transform India into a single market.
In his address, PM Modi today said GST reflects the spirit of “one nation, one aspiration, one determination”. A consensus on it, he said, “will go down in history as a great illustration of cooperative federalism”.
Some non-BJP Chief Ministers like Mamata Banerjee and Mukul Sangma have skipped the meet and sent their ministers instead. West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra is attending the meeting on behalf of Ms Banerjee. As Delhi votes for its civic bodies today, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is not attending either.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is at the meet. So are Congress’ Punjab Amarinder Singh and Himachal Pradesh’s Virbhadra Singh. Chief Ministers of Left-ruled states, Manik Sarkar of Tripura and Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala are also present along with Tamil Nadu’s E Palaniswami.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Chief Ministers hope to make their demands heard. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said he would raise the “special category status issue” for his state. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is expected to raise the law and order issue.
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was appointed to head a task force on agriculture, will make a presentation on doubling incomes of farmers. PM Modi, who was first leader to insist that this target was within striking distance, said Mr Chouhan “has revolutionised the agriculture sector” in his state.
The Chief Ministers are also expected to review the implementation of the decisions taken at the council’s earlier two meetings in 2015. Once the governing council’s meeting ends, PM Modi will hold another meet with Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states.
