Lok Sabha Question No. 1040 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Governing Council Meeting
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1040

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2023

## GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING

## 1040.   SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU.:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently convened 8th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether a number of Opposition ruled States have boycotted the meeting;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the number of issues discussed in the said meeting;
- (d) whether promotion of 'Shree Anna' in the International Year of Millets and water conservation through the 'Amrit Sarovar' programme have also come up for discussion in the meeting and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the details of the suggestions given by various States/UTs during the said meeting; and
- (f) whether the Government has examined these suggestions, if so, the details thereof and the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) and (b)  Hon'ble Prime Minister chaired the 8 th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog held on  27 th May  2023  at  Pragati  Maidan,  New  Delhi.    The  meeting  was  attended  by  19  Chief Ministers,  3  Lieutenant  Governors,  and  2  Administrators  representing  19  States  and  6  UTs. Many of these were from opposition rules states and UTs. 11 Chief Ministers representing 10 States and 1 UT did not attend the meeting, citing various reasons.
- (c) The Governing Council Meeting deliberated upon eight themes. These were  (i) Viksit Bharat @ 2047- Role of Team India; (ii) Thrust on Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); (iii) Infrastructure  and  Investments;  (iv)  Minimizing  Compliances;  (v)  Women Empowerment; (vi)

Health and Nutrition; (vii) Skill Development; and (viii) Gati Shakti for Area Development and Social Infrastructure.

- (d)Yes, Sir.  Hon'ble Prime Minister, inter alia, stressed upon the need for States and the Centre to promote 'Shree Anna' in the International Year of Millets 2023. Given the importance of crop diversification,  encouraging  self-sufficiency  and  farmer  prosperity,  it  was  emphasized  that Millets or Shree Anna having rich nutrition value be promoted as part of our agriculture strategy to help small farmers in particular, as it can be grown on less fertile lands without extensive need for irrigation or fertilizers and promoted as a superfood. Hon'ble PM also expressed the need for working towards water conservation through the 'Amrit Sarovar' programme. He urged States/ UTs to solve the twin issues of water conservation and employment generation through creation of community assets at the local level and efforts should be made to create more Amrit Sarovars at the districts level.
- (e) & (f): Chief Ministers/ Lieutenant Governors highlighted major initiatives taken by them in their States/ UTs and made various policy-level suggestions largely regarding the agenda items under consideration.  Some  key  suggestions  included  need  for  visioning  exercise  at  state  levels  for Viksit Bharat @2047, simplification of processes, expanding Gati Shakti model for infrastructure and  social development,  devising  strategies for sustainable  development,  tourism,  urban planning,  promoting  MSMEs,  skilling,  improving  female  labour  force  participation  rate  and nutrition, elimination of TB, improving 4G connectivity in rural areas, etc. Further action on the suggestions are taken by the respective Ministries/ Departments and States/ UTs.

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