States should get flexibility to change central schemes: Raman

States should get power to carry out changes in central schemes to suit regional needs, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said here today.
Addressing the first meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog here, the chief minister suggested that in the proposed system, states should have the freedom to set annual targets based on the availability of resources.
"States should be given more power to carry out changes in central schemes as per regional needs," a press release issued by the state government quoted the chief minister as saying during the meeting.
Singh also stressed on the need for providing constitutional stature to NITI Aayog and strengthening of inter-state council.

He said good and effective schemes of any state should be implemented in all the states and those generating no results should be stopped. Singh also urged the Aayog to provide additional funds to states for starting development schemes.
Speaking on the subject of 'innovation and knowledge hub', he said it should be given the status of a permanent institution or a commission.

"With national and international experts as its members, the institution should work as a policy making laboratory and advise states and the central government on decision making process and collection of resources on the basis of past experiences," the Chhattisgarh CM said.

He said that the new institution should work as a bridge between policy makers, intelligentsia and researchers.
After the meeting, Singh apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ongoing infrastructure projects in Chhattisgarh and discussed various several sensitive issues.