Eight opposition CMs skip Niti Aayog meeting chaired by PM Modi

The theme this time is 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India'

Niti Aayog meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 8th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, in New Delhi | PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the eighth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog at the new Convention Centre in Delhi on Saturday.

The theme for the meeting this time is 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India'.

Citing various reasons as many as 8 chief ministers including Delhi CM, West Bengal CM and Bihar CM wrote to PM that they will not be attending the meeting.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in his letter said that he is boycotting the meeting over the Centre's recent ordinance. In the latest development to the ongoing tensions between the Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor, the Centre has recently brought out an ordinance that has taken back the government's executive powers over bureaucracy that was earlier granted by the SC through its May 11 verdict.

"There is no point in attending the Niti Aayog meeting when the Constitution and democracy are being openly violated and cooperative federalism is being rendered as a joke," Kejriwal said in his letter.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had decided not to attend the meeting as the TMC government's request to send the state finance minister and the chief secretary was "turned down" by the Centre.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had earlier announced that he will not attend the meeting as a protest to the alleged discrimination against the state by the Centre over the issue of grant of funds.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had wrote in the letter that he has “prior commitments” and therefore he will not be able to attend. However, Kumar on Saturday said that there was no sense to attend the meeting.

“What was the need for a new Parliament? The earlier building was a historic one. I have repeatedly said that the people in power will change the history of this country. There was no sense to attend the NITI Aayog meeting today and also the inauguration of the new Parliament building tomorrow,” Nitish Kumar told ANI.

Among others, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has cited health reasons, and Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin is on a visit to Singapore and Japan. While Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has not given any specific reason for his absence.

Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao said he will not attend the meeting since he has a scheduled meeting with Kejriwal in Hyderabad on Saturday. Kejriwal has been visiting Opposition leaders to gather support in its fight against the Centre's new ordinance.

PM Modi will deliberate on issues related to health, skill development, with an aim to make India a developed nation by 2047. He is also said to give the closing statement at the end of the meet.

"Eight prominent themes will be discussed during the day-long meeting including Viksit Bharat@2047, thrust on MSMEs, infrastructure and investments, minimising compliances, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, gati shakti for area development and social infrastructure, the NITI Aayog stated.

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