Ahead of NITI Aayog, Manmohan Singh meets Congress Chief Ministers

Former Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday held a meeting with chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to discuss the issues to be taken up by them at the governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today.

In the meeting held at All India Congress Committee (AICC) here, Singh expressed concerns over various issues including the need for river rejuvenation and the importance of reviving the agriculture sector.

Moreover, the forest amendment act to ease the lives of tribals and the need for investment in Naxal-affected areas were also discussed.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who was part of the meeting, said, "We had a discussion on various issues pertaining to the agrarian and acute water crisis in several states. There should be a scheme that would address the crisis and a major step should be taken to rejuvenate those drying rivers and other water resources."

Besides Nath, chief ministers including Ashok Gehlot, V Narayanasamy, H D Kumaraswamy, who is an alliance partner of Congress in Karnataka, and Bhupesh Baghel attended the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who did not attend the meeting called by Singh, will also not be attending the Niti Aayog meeting.

Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Vice Chairman, Members, CEO and senior officers of NITI Aayog will be among those attending the event.