Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of States ruled by the Congress and allied parties ahead of the crucial Niti Aayog meeting. They discussed the proposed agenda of the Niti Aayog and issues of the Congress and its allies governed States.
Congress leaders —Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayansamy and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel — attended the meeting at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh skipped the meeting due to his health reasons.
Among the issues discussed were injecting life back in water bodies, fresh efforts needed from the Centre in the agricultural sector and amendment in the Forest Act to bring about change and prosperity in the lives of the tribals.
Kamal Nath said at the AICC that all the Chief Ministers were briefed by Manmohan Singh. He said that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures are out and the Government should suggest measures in view of the grave economic situation. Kamal Nath also said that the severe drought conditions are prevailing in large parts of the country, rivers have dried up and so contingency measures are needed. The CM said agricultural distress also needs to be addressed urgently, adding that all these issues will be taken up during the Governing Council meeting.
The fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council focused on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain water harvesting and preparedness for kharif crops. It was the first meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog since the formation of the Modi 2.0 Government.
Earlier in the day, Baghel, Kumaraswamy and Narayansamy also separately called on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Nath had hosted a dinner at his residence where Gehlot, Baghel and Narayansamy were present. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not make it for the dinner and skipped the Niti Aayog meeting.
The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture, drought and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.