Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Saturday called the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meeting, scheduled for Sunday, an opportunity to learn about the best practices of various states.
At the meeting, NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya will speak about the way ahead for India’s rapid transformation, Mr. Modi said. There will also be a presentation on the GST.
“Will chair the 3rd meeting of the @NITIAayog Governing Council tomorrow. Looking forward to wide ranging discussions on key policy issues,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
“I look forward to hearing from the State Chief Ministers on their unique developmental efforts to transform India,” he added.
He said the States have carried out reforms in many areas. “Tomorrow’s @NITIAayog meeting is an opportunity to learn best practices from each other,” he said in another tweet.
Mr. Modi said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, “who has revolutionised the agriculture sector” in his State, will share a presentation on the roadmap to double income of farmers. The Council includes all Chief Ministers, NITI Aayog members and special invitees.
Digital payments
Making recommendations for reforms in agriculture and promoting digital payments are among the significant achievements of NITI Aayog over the last three years, an official statement said on Saturday.
Government had set up NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) on January 1, 2015 to replace 65-year old socialist-era body, the Planning Commission.
Listing out its significant achievements in the last three years, the Aayog said it has formulated a Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016 to both recognise the rights of the tenant and safeguard interest of landowners.
The government’s think tank also said that a committee chaired by Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog has recommended scrapping of the Medical Council of India and suggested a new body for regulating medical education. “The draft legislation for the proposed National Medical Commission has been submitted to the government for further action,” it said.
The NITI Aayog had also constituted a committee of CMs on digital payments on November 30, 2016 with the Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu as the Convener to promote transparency, financial inclusion and a healthy financial ecosystem nationwide.
