Naveen Patnaik leaves for Delhi, to attend NITI Aayog Meet

Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister left for New Delhi to attend the first Governing Council meeting of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog, this morning.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened meeting of NITI Aayog on Sunday. In the meeting, Modi will be discuss with all the chief ministers over the issues related to implementing 12 major central programmes and upcoming union budget.

For the first time, the meeting of Governing Council of NITI is being convened, after it replacing the 65 year old Planning Commission of India. Modi on Friday attended a meeting of NITI Aayog and scheduled to discuss with members of Governing Council on Sunday.

The Central government significantly reduced centrally sponsored programmes to 10 from 66. And, for better implementation of these programmes the centre has planned direct allocation of around 80 per cent of expenditure the state government. All the chief ministers of states would participate in the meeting and put their concerns. The Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Dr Arvind Panagariya will brief the chief minister about the issues in the meeting. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would return to Bhubaneswar on Feb 9.