KCR wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi expressing his “anguish” at the Centre. And in it, he has further remarked, “I will not be a part of the 7th governing council meeting of Niti Aayog, which is going to take place in Delhi tomorrow, as a symbol of protest.” Â
Reportedly, K Chandrasekar Rao, the chief minister of Telangana, has declared he won’t be present at the Niti Aayog meeting. The 7th Meeting is taking place on Sunday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be presiding over it.Â
To ensure that people receive the most benefit possible, he added that the states still don’t receive the “flexibility to construct and adjust schemes based on their requirements and conditions. He further stated to figure that the Centre is micro-managing the schemes. It is giving the complete go-ahead to state-specific policies that are best left to respective states. The four-page letter continued that India could become a strong nation if its states were powerful and prosperous economically.Â
KCR claimed that his decision to boycott the meeting of the policy-making body’s governing council is just a “mark of protest.” It is the latest in a string of slights against prime minister Narendra Modi. As per him, he has decided so due to the ruling party at the center’s discriminatory practices against the states He also added that the central government has failed to treat them as “equal partners” in India’s planning and development process. Due to these problems, he also stated in his letter that he does not feel it beneficial to show up for the Niti Aayog gathering.
Aayog’s Statement in Response to Telangana CM
After KCR’s accusations, NITI Aayog referred to his outcry against the meeting as “unfortunate.” The Aayog stated in a statement that the Telangana Chief Minister’s decision to abstain from the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meeting is regrettable “. The NITI Aayog has also rejected the accusations made by KCR.
The Chief Minister said in a statement to the media after delivering the letter to PM Modi that, despite being a very difficult choice, it is the best way to oppose the federal government. After the formation of NITI Aayog, he was overjoyed and believed that the country’s better days were finally here. But as per his experience of recent developments, he feels his wishes were not fulfilled. NITI Aayog turns out to be a tool in the Prime Minister’s interest. He has also felt that the CMs don’t have any value. For the forward-thinking decisions, there is no brainstorming, stated K. Chandrasekar Rao.
The Telangana Chief Minister had received widespread criticism for not having received the PM when he did visit Hyderabad some days back. Additionally, he had claimed that despite Niti Aayog’s recommendations, the Centre disregarded them and did not release any funds meant for the schemes of Telangana. It includes a grant of Rs 50 billion to Mission Kakatiya and Central aid of Rs 19,205 to Mission Bhagiratha. However, the Telangana government finished both projects independently. These instances demonstrate that the Niti Aayog establishment is ineffective “he declared.
NITI Aayog
The Planning Commission of India was replaced by NITI Aayog under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He dubbed it “Team India” and claimed that CMs would be members. All Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, and a number of Union Ministers are represented on the Council, which is the top body of the NITI Aayog. The PM serves as the NITI Aayog’s chairman. A plenary council meeting typically takes place once a year. The highest political leaders in the nation, both at the federal and state levels, convene in the Governing Council. They discuss important issues pertaining to nation-building and reach a consensus on appropriate, goal-oriented strategies.
The council’s initial meeting was held on February 8 of 2015. After July 2019, this will be the Council’s first actual meeting. The coronavirus pandemic prevented the gathering from taking place in 2020. Due to health issues, the then-CM of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, opted out of the meeting.
