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
JHARKHAND CM DEMANDED A SEPARATE RELIGIOUS CODE FOR THE TRIBALS IN THE UPCOMING NATIONAL CENSUS
NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a virtual meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog, the Centre’s policy think tank, with chief ministers. About 25 chief ministers spoke during the video conferencing and a majority of them raised the issue of fall in revenues which was affecting development in the states.
“The Centre should compensate for the revenue loss due to Covid-19 so that development works can be carried out. There was also revenue shortfall due to slowing down of the economy,” said Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, adding to what several CMs highlighted during the interaction with the PM.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted the need to pace up the manufacturing sector in the country. “In the last 70 years, our country has never given importance to the manufacturing sector; our country is lagging behind in manufacturing which is why China has captured our markets,” he said.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren demanded a sepaction arate religious code for the tribals in the upcoming national Census, and suggested universalisation of old age pension and increasing wages of MGNREGA workers.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan outlined that the state undertook agricultural reforms.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated his demand for special status for the state, asserting that industrialisation was yet to gain the required momentum due to several constraints post-bifurcation.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, however, hit out at the “politicisation” of all actions of an elected government and pointed out that it was making development difficult. “Every crime is being politicised, every of an elected government is being viewed from a poll angle. This kind of an atmosphere is one of the biggest threats to the pace of development and peace in the country,” he said in an apparent dig at the controversy over draft heritage bylaws issued by National Monument Authority for the Jagannath temple in Puri and Anant Basudeva temple and Brahmeswar temple of Bhubaneswar.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar suggested ‘One Nation, One Rate’ on electricity supplied to states by Centre power plants. “We purchase very costly power as a result of which the state government has to give more as a subsidy,” he said.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot demanded that East Rajasthan Canal Project be declared a project of national importance, as promised by the PM during election rallies in the state on 7 July 2018 and 6 October 2018.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted that his state is the first in the country to inoculate 1 million people. He also highlighted how UP moved from 12th position to second in the country in Ease of Doing Business Rankings