City
Epaper

Mamata, KCR, Amarinder skip NITI Aayog meet

By IANS | Updated: June 15, 2019 23:45 IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee skipped the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday.

Open in App

On Banerjee's absence, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said: "I tried very hard in persuading her to be on board for the meeting, but could not succeed. We were looking forward to her contribution as West Bengal is a very important state for us. But, I am afraid that I could not get her to participate in the meeting."

Similarly, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao also skipped the meeting, citing an extremely busy schedule in connection with the inauguration of an irrigation project in state. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, citing health reasons, also did not attend.

Banerjee had earlier termed the meeting as "fruitless", and refused to attend it. She conveyed her decision in a letter to PM Modi. In the 3-page letter, she said it is "simply useless" to participate in a meeting where agenda is fixed by the Centre, and the views of the states are not treated at par.

While talking to reporters in West Bengal, the Chief Minister, drawing a comparison between the Planning Commission and NITI Aayog, said that the former was more effective in sorting out development challenges, and sought its return. She said that the Planning Commission had a bottom-up strategy, wherein states were consulted to solve development challenges and resource mobilization.

ss/vd

( With inputs from IANS )

Open in App

Related Stories

NationalTN ranks high in infant mortality rate in country; experts say better reporting skewing numbers

BusinessChinese J-10 fighter jet maker’s stock nosedives after India’s decisive victory

NationalChinese J-10 fighter jet maker’s stock nosedives after India’s decisive victory

NationalHigh-profile single lease case involving ex-minister Shanti Dhariwal in High Court today

PunePune Hit and Run: Police Constable Killed by Reckless Truck Driver While Trying to Flee Highway Checkpoint

National Realted Stories

NationalAs Vijay Shah moves SC against MP HC order, Vivek Tankha questions BJP’s legal support

NationalDelhi: Massive Fire Breaks Out at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce in Pitampura

NationalHyderabad: Fire Breaks Out at Three-Storey Building in Begum Bazar; One Rescued (Watch Video)

NationalTrinamool Congress MLA named in school job case dies of brain stroke in Kolkata

NationalLucknow Bus Fire: 5 Including Two Children Die After Blaze Erupts in Double-Decker Bus on Kisan Path