New Delhi: The eighth governing council meeting of NITI Aayog witnessed the absence of eight Chief Ministers, who chose to boycott the event presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. The meeting, centered around the theme of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India,’ aimed to address crucial issues related to health, skill development, women empowerment, and infrastructure development, in order to propel India towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cited health reasons for his nonattendance, while Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan did not provide a specific reason for his absence. However, prominent Opposition leaders such as Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, K Chandrashekar Rao, Mamata Banerjee, and Nitish Kumar boycotted the meeting due to various concerns.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister expressing his boycott of the meeting in protest against a recent ordinance issued by the BJP-led Centre. Kejriwal criticized the ordinance, which effectively revoked the executive control the Delhi government had over the bureaucracy, and accused the Centre of undermining cooperative federalism.
Punjab’s Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, also sent a note to the Centre expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of attention given to Punjab’s interests. In his communication, he highlighted unresolved issues such as the Rural Development Fund, stubble burning, and farmers’ concerns, emphasizing that participating in a meeting without addressing these pending matters would be futile.
Telangana’s K Chandrashekar Rao, West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, and Bihar’s Nitish Kumar, who have been working towards forming a united Opposition front to counter the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, also chose to skip the meeting. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who maintains a calculated distance from both the NDA and the Opposition, was absent due to a prior engagement, according to his office.
The absence of these Chief Ministers prompted criticism from the BJP, with former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stating that their boycott hindered the representation of their respective states and impeded the progress of development. Government sources echoed this sentiment, asserting that boycotting the NITI Aayog Governing Council Meetings would be detrimental to the states, as more than a hundred crucial issues were slated for discussion.
The roadmap to be laid down at the meeting included topics such as Viksit Bharat@2047, emphasis on MSMEs, infrastructure and investments, minimizing compliances, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, and Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure. It was emphasized that the absence of the Chief Ministers would result in their respective states missing out on the benefits of deliberations and decisions regarding these issues.
The reactions to the boycott varied across party lines. Sanjay Raut, a leader from the Shiv Sena (UBT), remarked that the absence of non-BJP Chief Ministers reflected the inadequate treatment received from the Centre and suggested that the NITI Aayog was neglecting their demands.
Prime Minister Modi, in his capacity as the Chairman of NITI Aayog, chaired the meeting at the new Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The NITI Aayog serves as a significant platform for evolving a shared vision of national development priorities, sectors, and strategies, with active participation from the states. It plays a pivotal role in determining the policy framework and
