PM calls for cooperative federalism
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for “synergy” in the Union and state budgets, taking “competitive, cooperative federalism” down to the district-level and said that a better understanding between the Centre and the states in their policy framework was very important for the country’s development.
Addressing a governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog, the Centre’s policy think tank, Modi also asked the states to reduce the compliance burden on the public, defended the reforms in the agriculture sector and asked for reduction in the import of edible oil worth billions of dollars.
The PM maintained that India’s self-reliance (atma-nirbharta) will benefit from Centrestate synergy. Asking the states to take “full benefit” of the new performance-linked incentives that have been announced for the manufacturing sector and the cut in corporate tax rates, Modi pointed out the states have a 40% share in the National Infrastructure Pipeline announced in the budget. “Therefore, it is imperative that the states and the Centre jointly synergise their budgets, make plans, and set priorities,” he said.
Along with the Union budget, the state budget is equally important in speeding up development and making the states self-sufficient,” he said.
The Centre must ensure urgent resolution to the ongoing farmers’ unrest, and an early release of Punjab’s pending GST compensation. CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, Punjab CM
The Union govt should intervene to solve the longpending SYL canal issue with Punjab so that Haryana could get its share of river waters. MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR, Haryana CM