'NITI Aayog meet to hold discussions on Viksit Bharat 2047': Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde attended the 9th NITI Aayog's Governing Council meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss the “Viksit Bharat 2047” initiative and the development of Maharashtra. The meeting aimed to foster participative governance and enhance collaboration between the central and state governments.
Speaking on the purpose of the meeting, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized the significance of the discussions."In the meeting of NITI Aayog today, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there will be a discussion on the subject of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. There will also be a discussion on the development of Maharashtra. There will be a discussion on the cooperation of the central government," he said.
He also outlined the various schemes included in the Union Budget, targeting multiple demographics. "For farmers, women, youth, senior citizens, people of all classes, and education, we have made many schemes in this budget," Shinde added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. This year's theme, “Viksit Bharat 2047,” focuses on making India a developed nation by 2047. The meeting aims to draft an approach paper for a vision document on this theme.
Several Chief Ministers, particularly from Congress-ruled states, have chosen not to attend the meeting. Karnataka's Siddaramaiah, Himachal Pradesh's Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Telangana's Revanth Reddy cited alleged bias against their states in the Union Budget as the reason for their absence. Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister and DMK leader, MK Stalin, along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the Aam Aadmi Party-led governments in Punjab and Delhi, have also declared their decision to boycott the meeting.
However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting, expressing the importance of raising their voices on a common platform.
During this Governing Council Meeting, there will be detailed deliberations on the role of states in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. India is anticipated to become the world's third-largest economy, with ambitions to reach a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047. Achieving this vision will require a collaborative effort involving both the central and state governments.
The 9th Governing Council Meeting aims to create a comprehensive roadmap to realize this vision. The council will also review the recommendations from the 3rd National Conference of Chief Secretaries, held from December 27-29, 2023.
Special sessions are set to focus on various topics including cyber security, the aspirational districts and blocks programme, the role of states, and the integration of AI in governance. These topics were also discussed during the 3rd National Conference of Chief Secretaries.
As Chairperson of NITI Aayog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is joined by Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of States and Union Territories, Union Ministers as Ex-officio members, special invitees, and the Vice Chairman and members of NITI Aayog at this meeting.
The Governing Council meeting is expected to create strategies and frameworks, strengthening the delivery mechanisms of government interventions to improve the quality of life for both rural and urban populations across India.