7-yr strategy document may be finalised in over a month: Kant

NEWDELHI: The federal think tank NITI Aayog on Sunday said that development agenda for ‘New India 2022’ — a seven-year strategy document for governance — would be finalised in little over a month from now after “seeking final comments from the states”.

The think tank began working on the strategy document months after it replaced the erstwhile Planning Commission of India in 2015. The document was expected to the tabled in Sunday’s meeting of the NITI Aayog’s governing council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by nearly two dozen chief ministers. The third meeting was held last year.

“Developed agenda for New India 2022 is still being revised. It was not presented in today’s NITI’s governing council meeting. We want the document to reflect ground realities,” Kumar said when asked as to why it was not taken up at the meeting.

“The decision was taken because the states should not feel that they have not been consulted in a more purposive and substantive manner,” he explained.

CEO Amitabh Kant said, “The plan is ready and in its final shape…We will sent it to the states soon for comments. We needed more consultation. It will be finalised in one and a half months.”

The NITI Aayog had planned to come out with three documents — a three-year action agenda, seven-year medium term strategy paper and a 15-year vision document.

In a presentation last year, it had said that the foundation for freedom from six problems — poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism and communalism — will be laid by 2022 when India celebrates 75 years of independence.