New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the sixth meeting of NITI Aayog on Saturday and Chief Ministers across the country participated in the discussion. While Punjab CM Amarinder Singh skipped a meeting, he sent a video message requesting PM Modi to consider the request of farmers protesting at Delhi borders. While it was much anticipated that the Chief Ministers of states ruled by the opposition will raise concerns regarding the Farm Laws but NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar clarified that no one spoke about farm laws in the sixth governing council meeting, and only reforms in the agricultural sector were discussed.
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, who couldn't attend the meeting due to 'ill-health', recorded a message, where he made the appeal on farmers, and a request on an early release of the state's pending GST compensation. He also expressed concerns over the threat to Punjab's agriculture sector as a result of the "disruptions caused by the three new farm laws", according to a state government release.
NITI Aayog Chairman Rajiv Kuma said that the governing council only discussed key points on development. Kumar said,"At Niti Aayog meeting, six items were in focus -- making India a manufacturing powerhouse, reimagining agriculture, improving physical infrastructure, accelerating human resource development, service delivery at the grassroots level, and health and nutrition."
Earlier, PM Modi addressed the meeting and said that there is a need to bring competitive and cooperative federalism not only among the states but districts as well.
While speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister also made a strong case for repealing archaic laws and making it easier to do business in India, stating that both centre and states need to work closely to boost economic growth. However, Prime Minister Modi also pointed out that India built a good image before the world as both Centre and states worked together to battle the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stressed on 'zero defect, zero effect' mantra which he gave in August 2014 to Indian entrepreneurs for better products--a direct reference to the need to make things without causing the environmental harm.