Centre, states must work together to take country forward: PM at NITI Aayog meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a strong case for repealing archaic laws and making it easier to do business in India stating that the centre and states need to work closely to boost economic growth. Addressing the Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, the Prime Minister said that the private sector should be given full opportunity to become a part of the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme.

“Centre and states should work together for the nation’s progress… Government has to respect and give due representation to the private sector for economic progress,” Modi said.

He said that the positive response to the Union Budget 2021-22 indicates that the country wants to move forward on the path of development at greater speed.

Modi said that the initiatives taken by the government would provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in nation-building to its full potential.

Referring to the farm sector, the Prime Minister said that efforts should be made to produce agricultural items like edible oil and reduce their imports.

“This can be done by guiding farmers,” he said, adding the money being spend on imports can go to the accounts of farmers. 

The Prime Minister also underlined the need for reducing the compliance burden on people and asked the states to form committees to reduce regulations that are no longer relevant in the wake of technology.

The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories (UTs), several union ministers and senior government officials.

The sixth meeting of the Governing Council also witnessed the entry of Ladakh for the first time, in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT, the statement said.

This time, other UTs headed by administrators were also invited to join.

Prime Minister Modi is the Chairman of Niti Aayog.        

The meeting was also attended by the ex-officio members of the Governing Council; union ministers; vice-chairman, members and CEO of Niti Aayog; and other senior officials of Government of India.

The Governing Council meets regularly and its first meeting took place on February 8, 2015.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governing Council did not meet last year.

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