Key issues discussed at NITI Aayog meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the fourth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan earlier in the day.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of 23 states, barring those from Odisha, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura.

The following are the key issues that were discussed at the meeting:

-The Prime Minister assured help with the norms and provisions to the bifurcated states of Bihar and Jharkhand, and Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

-A seven-member committee headed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with the Chief Ministers of Bihar, Gujarat, Sikkim, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh will be formed under MNREGA scheme for development of irrigation and post-harvest.

-The Prime Minister spoke about Aspirational Blocks and the development of villages to implement welfare schemes in 45,000 villages by August 15. A total of 65,000 villages have to be covered.

-Open Defecation Free India under Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan by 2019, as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

-Uniform Voter List was also an important issue addressed by the Prime Minister, as with current technology it could save time, money, and resources.

-Prime Minister Modi also asked the states to focus on exports and attract nations via the same.

-States were directed to utilise their hydro-potential, especially Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

-The Prime Minister directed the focus to ease of living by making self-attestation, license and so on easy for the public to access.

-The states were asked to set a target at their level to help transform India into a five trillion dollar economy.

-The states were directed to focus on an outcome-based revolution.

-The Prime Minister asked states to encourage mineral extraction, and employment through mining.

-The states were asked to send their suggestions, if any, through a written document.