In the seventh meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the states that Vocal for Local is not the agenda of any one party, but the target of all. Wherever possible, we should encourage people to use indigenous goods.
The Prime Minister told the states that they should explore opportunities to reduce imports and increase exports. States should focus on the promotion mantra of Trade, Tourism and Technology (Three Ts). The Prime Minister told the states that the cooperation of both the Center and the states is needed to increase the GST collection. He said that India’s federal structure and cooperative federalism has emerged as a model for the world during the COVID crisis. It has to be strengthened further. The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of 23 states, three Lieutenant Governors, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended. In the meeting, discussions were held on making the country self-reliant in the field of pulses and oilseeds, implementation of National Education Policy in school education and higher education and urban administrative modalities. The Chief Ministers demanded to increase the compensation period to the states by five years for the reduction in revenue due to the implementation of GST. Telangana CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao boycotted the meeting. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the meeting.
NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chandra said that
NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chandra said that states like Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal gave suggestions to increase the production of oilseeds. These states demanded help in irrigation system from increasing the minimum support price of oilseeds. The states of the North East discussed increasing the cultivation of palm oil. There was agreement in all the states to implement the National Education Policy.
