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The panel of Chief Ministers working on rationalising centrally-sponsored schemes is unanimous on reducing them and will finalise recommendations in the next meeting to be held on May 28 at Bhopal.
After firming up its recommendations on the CSS, the sub-group of Chief Ministers under NITI Aayog will submit its suggestions to the Prime Minister.
Meet on May 28
“We will hold another meeting of the sub-group on May 28 at Bhopal to finalise the draft recommendations on CSS. The panel is unanimous that the number of CSS should be reduced,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
Chouhan is convener of the sub-group. At present, there are 72 CSS including the six new schemes introduced by the NDA Government. During the UPA regime, the number of schemes were reduced from 147 to 66.
The rationalisation of CSS is important as the Centre has decided to raise State’s share in taxes to 42 per cent from 32 per cent.
Relevant schemes
“We will decide on the number of schemes later. But we should continue only the relevant CSSs,” Chouhan said after the panel meeting here on Monday.
Earlier in its first meeting in March, the panel had set up a working group under NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Sindhushree Khullar with nodal officers of the States on board to prepare a discussion paper.
The panel on Monday discussed the issues raised in the discussion paper. Besides reducing the number of CSS, the other issue which came up was the pattern of fund sharing between Centre and States.
Chouhan said, “It was also discussed that the funds under CSS should be released in April and twice a year without any delay.”
The panel also supported the idea there should be incentives for performing States and their innovative ideas should be promoted.
Chouhan said: “I will write letters to all Chief Ministers to incorporate views of those who are not members of this sub-group. We have also decided to send a team of NITI Aayog officials headed by NITI Aayog CEO to discuss issues related to CSS.”
The sub-group on CSS has Chief Ministers of eleven States, including Rajasthan, Nagaland, Manipur, Jharkhand, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
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