PM Modi eyes to achieve 2022 goals, urges states to work as 'Team India'

New Delhi [India] Apr 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog's Governing Council meet urged all the states to work with his government as part of Team India and help in identifying goals for 2022. "The theme of regional imbalance, raised by a number of Chief Ministers has to be addressed on priority, both nationally, and within states," the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister chaired the third meeting of the NITI Aayog's Governing Council at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, wherein, action taken on decisions of the earlier two meetings, were discussed in detail with special focus on the (Goods and Services Tax) GST and doubling the income of farmers. On Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's invitation, Prime Minister Modi suggested that other states should organise events there and urged them to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir students studying in other states. The Prime Minister mentioned that budgets should be prepared immediately after receipt of agricultural incomes for the year. As many as 28 Chief Ministers were present during the meet. Some non-BJP Chief Ministers like Mamata Banerjee and Mukul Sangma skipped the meet and sent their ministers instead. As Delhi voted for its civic bodies, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not attend either. NITI Aayog's vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya presented a roadmap for the rapid transformation of India by outlining key aspects of the 15-year Vision document, comprising the seven-year strategy document and the three-year action plan. "We gave presentation on three-year action plan which is in seven parts and have 24 chapters. Presentations were also given on how we can double the income of farmers," Panagariya said. He said Prime Minister Modi also urged the Chief Ministers not to delay the GST. Meanwhile, Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog said that they have taken measures for agriculture and digital payment, moving away from Medical Council of India and restructuring University Grants Commission (UGC). "We showed in presentation that how states are doing well in education and health," he added. He further said that an analysis of 100 districts on health education were also part of the presentation. The other important issues discussed in the meeting include the progress made by the state government for implementation of the GST from July 1. A presentation on the roadmap of doubling farmers' income was made by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The first meeting of the Governing Council had laid down the key mandates of NITI Aayog like fostering cooperative federalism by addressing national issues through mutual cooperation between the Centre and states and monitoring important central schemes. The second meeting had outlined the substantial progress made by the three Sub-Groups of Chief Ministers and the two Task Forces one on elimination of poverty and other on agriculture development. (ANI)