Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hinted that more “important steps” are in the offing to take the country’s GDP growth to double digit levels.
“The Indian economy has grown at a healthy rate of 7.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017-18. The challenge now is to take this growth rate to double digits, for which many more important steps have to be taken,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the fourth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, here on Sunday.
Stating that the Governing Council has approached complex issues of governance as “Team India” in the spirit of cooperative, competitive federalism, Modi described the smooth rollout and implementation of the GST as a prime example of this. The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is the country’s highest policy planning body. It is chaired by the Prime Minister and has the Chief Ministers of all the States as its members.
Commenting on the growth trajectory highlighted by the PM, NITI Aayog Member Ramesh Chand said, “For the nation, we are thinking that we will make India a $5-trillion economy. The Prime Minister gave a call to the States that they should also set a target that they will raise their economy to an ambitious level because it is the sum of the income of the States which makes income of the nation.”
In March this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu had said that India will be a $5-trillion economy by 2025.
Ease of doing business
Modi also said there should be renewed efforts to improve the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in the country.
Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, said, “The Prime Minister has said that the NITI Aayog should call for a meeting and assess what can be done to improve the ease of doing business in the country. Now, work is left only in the States.”
Kumar said the PM called for a focus on the ‘Ease of Living’. “The PM has asked the NITI Aayog to call for a meeting with the States and work towards improving the ease of living in the country. For example, we may focus on which are the sectors where it can be made easier for citizens to avail government services.”
Finance commission
During the meeting, southern States had raised apprehensions over the mechanism to decide the disbursal of Central funds considered by the 15th Finance Commission. The States said that a higher weightage to population in the methodology was dis-incentivising them for adhering to population control goals.
Kumar said the Prime Minister acknowledged their concerns, but seconded the view put forth by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
“Shivraj Singh Chauhan noted that the rights of the children already born should be respected. He said that there should now be a focus on outcome-based devolution of funds to the States. The Prime Minister also agreed with this view,” Kumar noted.
Simultaneous polls
Modi also said there is a need to develop a synergy between agriculture and the programmes conducted under the MGNREGA.
Modi urged the State governments to consider moving towards having simultaneous elections. Kumar said, “The Prime Minister reiterated his call to the State governments for considering the possibility of simultaneous elections. There should be a start towards at having a uniform voter list.
“Basically having one voter list for the local elections, Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections. This in itself will be a good start. Staying in a perpetual election mode shifts away the attention from development activities.”