New Delhi, May 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting of the NITI Aayog at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, with the participation of Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors from across the country.

Lauding the initiative, JD-U National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan said, “This is a very important meeting. The PM’s vision for 2047 focuses on how to bridge the development gaps between states. The imbalance arising from the unequal distribution of resources between backward and developed states is a major challenge. The Prime Minister will chair this meeting and give necessary directions.”

He further added that the presence of state leaders across party lines underscores the seriousness of the Centre’s intent.

Support for the PM’s development vision also came from several BJP-ruled states, with officials highlighting schemes like PM Gati Shakti, Jal Jeevan Mission, and the push for digital infrastructure as examples of Centre-State synergy.

However, the meeting wasn’t without criticism. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad raised concerns over the current role of NITI Aayog. “It’s good that such meetings are happening, but earlier we had the Planning Commission.

Now, NITI Aayog is being run by its own appointed officials. If a budget was shifted, a scheme shut down, or if there was corruption, the Planning Commission would issue a report. Look at the current reports of the CAG and NITI Aayog,” she said.

Congress leader Pawan Khera also questioned the credibility of long-term promises, stating, “Why are they talking about 2047 now? Every two to three years, they give a new date. They had promised to double farmers’ income by 2022. It did not happen.”

The meeting, held under the theme of cooperative federalism, focused on India’s long-term development roadmap and key strategies to accelerate inclusive growth toward the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat,’ by 2047.

This NITI Aayog meeting is also notable as the first major Centre-State engagement after India’s successful Operation Sindoor, where the Indian Armed Forces neutralised nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, avenging the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

--IANS

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