'PM Modi identified growth, investment as priorities': Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had identified growth, investment and jobs as priorities in the first meeting of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.

"The Prime Minister chaired the first meeting of NITI Aayog. The Prime Minister made opening comments. Thereafter, each states gave their opinions. Opening comments were in context of governing model, the PM said priorities are growth, investment, jobs and decentralization. He said economic activities have to be in the state, emphasis was on flexibility of states," said Jaitley.

The Finance Minister said Prime Minister Modi had also emphasized how the 'Jan Dhan Yojana' and 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan' became successful with the cooperation of states.

Terming the meeting as 'extremely useful', Jaitley said three sub-groups would be constituted under the NITI Aayog.

"NITI Aayog will be constituted with sub-groups of CMs. Three sub-groups to be constituted under NITI Aayog, the members will be announced after CMs give their preferences," he added.

The formation of the NITI Aayog was announced on August 15 last year by Prime Minister Modi during his maiden Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort.