PPA terms NITI as 'revolutionary step'

Says this will usher in a new chapter of cooperative federalism in the country

The People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) has welcomed the constitution of NITI to replace the Planning Commission, terming it as a revolutionary step initiated by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

"The replacement of 65-year-old Planning Commission by the National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) is a revolutionary step considering the decades old excessive centralization of powers during Congress government at the Centre," PPA president Kahfa Bengia said in a party meeting at Doimuk yesterday.

"This will usher in a new chapter of cooperative federalism in the country giving space to all region and states in policy framing at the Centre. This historic step should give the northeastern states better scope and opportunity to ventilate their grievances about their peculiar nature of problems in the region," he said.

"The success and strength of federal polity depends upon the maximum of cooperation and coordination between the central government and the federal units. These arrangements should be welcomed and taken full advantage of by the Arunachal government in placing and pursuing our unique yet neglected problems at the Centre," he said.