The abstain
10 State and UTs representatives skipped Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog because of concerns with the perceived lack of allocations and projects to their States in the Union Budget
NITI Aayog & Planning commission
NITI Aayog was to replace the Planning Commission, doing away with the “top-down” approach of the earlier body, and to focus on “cooperative federalism”
Issues
Limiting itself to an advisory body without any powers of resource distribution or allocation
While the Finance Ministry has unfettered powers to decide on grants to States
BJP has sought to seek votes in State elections on the basis of providing “double engine” governments
Consultations with States on grants and projects have become limited after the end of the Planning Commission
Need to address
The growth through infrastructure and capital investments in States is something that requires institutional backing at the Centre as well
NITI Aayog must be re-envisioned to bring back some of the responsibilities that the Planning Commission had for States for a truer “cooperative federalism”
COMMENTS