Inter-state panel to boost infra may be set up on Sunday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce an inter-state committee of secretaries to monitor major infrastructure projects at the first meeting of the NITI Aayog governing council on Sunday. He will seek inputs from them on labour reforms. The PM is also likely to lay down the road map on transfer of central funds to state governments after the disbanding of the Planning Commission and cut down the number of Centre-sponsored schemes, from 66 to 15 or 16.

The schemes are expected to cover broad areas and reflect the priorities of the Modi-led  government. He is also expected to dwell on measures to eliminate poverty. All chief ministers, except Mamata Banerjee, are expected to participate in the day-long meeting, along with vice-chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya, members Bibek Debroy and V K Saraswat and finance, agriculture, home and railway ministers.

Officials said according to the agenda of the meeting, Modi is expected to seek views from the chief ministers on the national priorities for the central government. The 12th Five-Year Plan might be allowed to run as it is, with a changed focus and scrapped thereafter, a senior official said. The role that state governments will play in the execution of Modi’s pet projects will be spelt out in the meeting.

In the case of schemes like Namamee Gange (cleaning and rejuvenation of River Ganga), officials said the Centre might propose including cleaning of rivers others than the Ganges into the scheme to enlist the state governments.