Modi pushes for Team India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is flanked by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (right) and Home Minister Rajnath Singh as chairs the first meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated that States and the Centre, or Team India, must work to forge a model of cooperative federalism for resolving differences and charting a common course to progress and prosperity.

Addressing the first meeting of the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog Governing Council, the Prime Minister described ‘Team India’ as a combination of three teams – the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers; the Union Council of Ministers; and the bureaucracy at the Centre and in States, an official release said.

PM reiterates call for cooperative federalism

Mr. Modi said States and the Centre or Team India must work to forge a model of cooperative federalism. Stating that it was impossible for the nation to develop unless States develop, Mr Modi said States sometimes feel there is no platform to express their views and that there should be an effective mechanism to address inter-state disputes.

He pointed out the most important responsibility of the Aayog relates to promoting cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis.

Prime Minister Modi had termed the concept of cooperative federalism ‘Team India’ at the meeting he had held on December 8 last year with State Chief Ministers, on replacing the Planning Commission. Delivering the opening remarks at the consultation meeting, the Prime Minister had announced “a new thrust to the quest for an effective replacement to the Planning Commission, describing ‘Team India’ as a combination of three teams – the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers; the Union Council of Ministers; and the bureaucracy in the Centre and States.”

Mr. Modi first voiced the idea of cooperative federalism in his address to the BJP National executive meeting on 19 January 2014 in Delhi. “Today it is considered that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers will take the nation ahead together…. I have a different opinion, I believe that the Prime Minister and all the Chief Ministers should together be a team which should take the country ahead!... the Central Council of Ministers and the State Council of Ministers should together form a comprehensive team,” Mr. Modi had said.