Kumar Bahukhandi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on July 28 called for setting zero poverty targets starting at village level and aimed to make India a developed nation by 2047 at a meeting of NITI Aayog Governing Council that witnessed high drama withWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walking out in a huff alleging her mic was switched off. In his address to the ninth Governing Council meeting, Modi emphasised the need to tackle poverty on an individual basis rather than just at a programme level. “We must target zero poverty as a priority for a Viksit Bharat starting at village level,” Modi said, adding it would bring about a transformational effect in our country. As many as 10 States and UTs did not participate in the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog. The absentees were Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Puducherry, said CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam while briefing the media about the meeting. “It is their loss if they did not participate,” he added.
The NITI Aayog meeting held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre witnessed a walkout by the West Bengal Chief Minister, who claimed that she was unfairly stopped midway in her speech, despite being the sole representative of the Opposition. The Government, however, rejected her claim and said Banerjee’s speaking time was over. About Bihar, Subrahmanyam said Chief MinisterNitishKumar could not attend the meeting as he was busy with an Assembly session in the State. During the meeting, Modi encouragedStatestoprovide an investor-friendly environment and directed the NITI Aayog to prepare an ‘Investment-friendlyCharter’ of parameters which would include policies, programmes and processes to be put in place for attracting investments. NITIAayogViceChairman Suman Bery said that Modi wanted the States to compete for FDI so that investments could reach all the states, especially those that are less successful.
The Prime Minister also underscoredtheimportance of law and order, good governance and infrastructure as vital for attracting investments,ratherthanjustincentives.Healsoencouragedthe creationofriver gridsat state level for effective utilisation of water resources. The Prime Minister emphasised on cooperation and collective effort of all statesandtheCentre to work together in order to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. Modi encouraged States to initiate Demographic Management Plans toaddress theissuesof population ageing in future. Modi observed that the visionofViksitBharat canbe realisedthroughViksitStates, and that the aspiration of Viksit Bharat should reach thegrassrootleveli.Etoeach district, block, and village. “For this, each State and districtshouldcreateavision for 2047 soas torealiseViksit Bharat @ 2047,” he said. HeobservedthatIndiahas achieved steady growth in the past ten years. Indian economy,whichwasthe10th largesteconomyintheworld in 2014, has risen to become the 5th largest economy by 2024.Modi saidthatnow the collective aim of the Government and all citizens is tobecomethethird largest economy in the world.
