NITI Aayog’s governing council meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, will work towards finalising a road-map and outcome-oriented action plan envisioning India as a developed nation around the broad theme of “Vikasit Bharat@2047”, official agenda accessed by businessline reveals.

High on priority of the Niti Aayog’s governing council meeting is to give a thrust on the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for growth and job creation in the country in the next 25 years. This is besides seven other core areas that Niti Aayog has identified for deliberations at the council meeting. It comprises the role of Team India for Vikasit Bharat or Developed India when it turns 100 in 2047, infrastructure and investments, minimising compliance, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development and Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure.

For every sector, action plan with coordinating ministries and States, timelines and executing departments have been listed for tracking updates on sectoral development achievements.

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“As we envision India as Vikasit Bharat@2047, the governing council meeting this year is an occasion to introspect and cohesively work with the spirit of cooperative federalism during this Amrit Kaal period to enable India become a developed nation,” NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman K Bery wrote on May 12 in his invite to Ministers, Chief Ministers (CMs) and Union Territory Lt Governors (LGs), among others, for attending the meeting on Sunday.

Online platform

The Central government’s apex public policy think-tank wants a common online platform for all schemes, solutions and systems for ease of doing business and avoid the virtual clutter and accompanying difficulties, said Niti Aayog’s agenda papers circulated among central ministers, CMs and LGs. Similarly, the Centre’s department of industries and commerce has also been assigned to develop a robust online dispute resolution. Both the solutions are expected to take shape in one year.

“Growth in the MSME is of vital importance. The forward movement from Micro Enterprises to Small and from Small enterprises to Medium enterprises is critical for the sector,” the Niti Aayog has recommended to Centre and States for scaling up of this segment. At the district level, officers should also recognise this aspect and promote upward movement of this sector, suggested the Aayog’s agenda, which would possibly help energise the local economy.

Fiscal management

For better fiscal management, the governing council will deliberate on strengthening of Annual Credit Plan, formulated by taking inputs needed to plan the credit targets of the banks, and State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) target mechanism. Another point of discussion where the public think-tank will be encouraging States and Centre to deliver is on implementation of strategic investment plan developed under “Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance” (RAMP) for which the Union Cabinet had approved more than ₹6,000 crore last year.

The Aayog governing council will pitch for designing of separate MSME policies by individual States and reduction of compliance burden in their regions and municipal bodies, since exploiting the potential of this sector would require streamlining of policies and delivery mechanism throughout the country.

Building of 30 technology centres and 65 extension centres for bridging the skill-gap in the MSME sector also figures on the agenda of the meeting which some States like West Bengal have decided not to join.

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