9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog | 31 Jul 2024

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Recently, the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by the Prime Minister, convened leaders from 20 states and 6 union territories to discuss the "Viksit Bharat @2047" theme, aiming to establish a framework for India's development as a developed nation by 2047.

What are the Key Outcomes of the Meeting?

• Vision of a USD 30 Trillion Economy: India aims to become the world's third-largest economy by 2047, with a GDP target of USD 30 trillion. This ambition highlights the country's focus on sustained economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.
• State Visions for 2047: The meeting encouraged each state and district to formulate its vision for 2047, aligning with the national vision of a developed India.
  • Emphasising the importance of states in achieving national goals, the Prime Minister reiterated that developed states are crucial for a developed India.
• Zero Poverty Objective: A significant takeaway from the meeting was the emphasis on eradicating poverty at an individual level. The concept of 'zero poverty' villages was discussed, aiming for holistic development starting at the grassroots.
• Infrastructure and Investment: The Prime Minister stressed the importance of infrastructure, law and order, and good governance as key factors in attracting investments. 
  • An 'Investment-friendly Charter' was proposed to encourage states to create an investor-friendly environment, monitored through parameters fostering healthy competition among states.
• Education and Skill Development: There was a strong emphasis on skilling the youth to make them employment-ready, leveraging India's demographic dividend as a global skilled resource hub.
• Agricultural Productivity and Natural Farming: Enhancing productivity, diversifying agriculture, and promoting natural farming practices were discussed as means to improve soil fertility, reduce costs, and access global markets.
• Ease of Living: Recommendations from the 3rd National Conference of Chief Secretaries were considered, focusing on 5 key themes such as drinking water, electricity, health, schooling, and land/property management.
  • The Prime Minister encouraged States to initiate Demographic Management Plans to address the issues of population ageing in the future.  
  • The Prime Minister asked the States to take up capacity building of government officials at all levels and encouraged them to collaborate with the Capacity Building Commission for the same.
  • The Prime Minister encouraged the creation of River Grids at the State level for the effective utilisation of water resources.
• Cybersecurity and AI in Governance: The integration of technology in governance, addressing cybersecurity challenges, and leveraging AI for efficient governance were highlighted as critical areas for future readiness.

What is the Governing Council of NITI Aayog?

• About:
  • The Governing Council is the premier body tasked with evolving a shared vision of national priorities and strategies, with the active involvement of States, in shaping the development narrative. 
  • The Governing Council, which embodies the objectives of cooperative federalism, presents a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda.
• Members:
  • Prime Minister of India (Chairperson)
  • Chief Ministers(States and Union Territories with legislature)  
  • Lt Governors of other UTs
  • Ex-Officio Members
  • Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog
  • Full-Time Members, NITI Aayog
  • Special Invitees  
• Functions:
  
  • The Governing Council Secretariat (GCS) coordinates the meetings of the Governing Council.
    • It also coordinates the activities of all the Verticals, Divisions and Units of NITI Aayog.
  • GCS acts as the nodal division for coordinating matters related to the Annual Report of NITI Aayog for circulation in the Parliament.
  • The Division also handles Parliament Questions, Standing Committee matters, RTI queries, CPGRAMS grievances, pertaining to GCS.