The ninth Governing Council Meeting of Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will discuss the Approach Paper for the Vision Document on Viksit Bharat @2047 on Saturday, amid boycott call given by most of the Chief Ministers of Opposition ruled States.

The meeting said the government think tank Niti Aayog, aims to foster participative governance and collaboration between the Centre and State governments, enhancing the quality of life for both rural and urban populations by strengthening the delivery mechanisms of government interventions.

The meeting will also see detailed deliberations on the role of States in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047. Niti Aayog said India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy with GDP crossing $5 trillion and aspirations to reach a $30-trillion economy by 2047.

Achieving the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 will require a collaborative approach between the Centre and State governments. The Governing Council Meeting aims to create a roadmap for this vision, fostering teamwork between the Centre and the States as ‘Team India’, the Niti Aayog stated.

Boycotting States

However, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said he was boycotting the meeting to protest Modi government’s refusal to give his State’s share as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. NDA ruled Andhra Pradesh, however, got central assistance to the tune of ₹15,000 crore announced in the General Budget

“As Chief Minister of Telangana, (I am) boycotting the Niti Aayog meeting for hurting Telangana’s rights, not releasing the funds due to Telangana and for not giving the permissions due to be given to Telangana,” Revanth Reddy had said.

Similarly, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will also not be attending the Niti Aayog meeting. And so are chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, interestingly, said she would attend the meeting but will protest the “politically very biased Budget” which “deprives” all Opposition States. She said the public policy think tank brought by the Modi government should be scrapped and the Planning Commission be restored since the former does not take care of the interests of the States the way latter did.

“I thought it is my duty to raise this voice at least on a common platform though I know the Niti Aayog has no financial powers,” she said.

‘Mischievous campaign’

Sources in Union Finance Ministry said Opposing States are running a mischievous campaign that they have been ignored in the Budget. Instead of boycotting, they should come and attend the Niti Aayog meeting and raise the issue at the forum. That would have been most appropriate forum to raise concerns on the budget. We hope they change their decision before the Niti Aayog meeting, Ministry sources observed.

The recommendations of the 3rd National Conference of Chief Secretaries, held over three days from December 23, 2023, had centred around five key themes to realise ease of living.

How to provide adequate access to quality drinking water across the country, was one the themes. Likewise, the Chief Secretaries agreed to flag “quality”, “efficiency” and “reliability” in providing electricity to all, the Niti Aayog stated. 

On health, the recommendation was to ensure “accessibility, affordability, and quality of care”, and for schooling, “access and quality”. 

Lastly, the National Conference of Chief Secretaries suggested, “accessibility, digitisation, registration, and mutation” for ease of living on issues related to land and property, the Aayog pointed out.

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