NITI Aayog meet: PM Modi bats for Centre-state partnership to boost economic growth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, February 20, said that the Centre and states should work together to strengthen the economic growth of the country. Presiding over the sixth meeting of the Niti Aayog governing council via video conferencing, PM Modi rooted for "cooperative federalism" which he said shouldn't only be among the government and the states but districts as well.

"The foundation of India's development is that Centre and states work together and head towards a certain direction and make cooperative federalism even more meaningful. Not only this, we have to try to bring competitive, cooperative federalism not only among states but also districts," the Prime Minister said.

He highlighted how the nation succeeded when the Centre and states worked together during the COVID-19 crisis.

"In the Covid-19 period, we saw how Centre and states worked together, the nation succeeded, and a good image of India was built before the entire world. Today, when we are going to complete 75 years of independence, this Governing Council meet becomes even more significant," he added.

PM Modi also talked about the work done by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the past few years.

"In the past few years, we saw that opening of bank accounts, increase in vaccination and health facilities, free electricity connection, free gas connection to empower the poor has reflected a phenomenal change in their lives," he said.

Speaking on Union Budget 2021, PM Modi stated, "The positive response received for this year's Budget has expressed the mood of the nation. The country has made up its mind that it wants to progress rapidly and doesn't want to lose time. The youth is playing a major role in setting the mood of the nation."

NITI Aayog's sixth meeting also witnessed the entry of Ladakh for the first time, in addition to the participation of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee were among those who skipped the meeting.

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