Development Dialogue With NITI Aayog

Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has reiterated Rajasthan’s commitment to continue partnering in formulation of National Development Agenda. She said that for long term and sustainable development of the country the state government needed to work with the centre and focus on certain identified sectors.

Smt. Raje was addressing the Members and Officials of NITI Aayog during ‘Development Dialogue with NITI Aayog’ at the CMO on Friday. She said that guidance and support of the Aayog was required for better solution to historical legacy issues of the state.

The CM appreciated the idea of having a comprehensive 3 year Action Agenda which would make part of the 15-year vision for country’s inclusive and all round development. She said that the state’s partnership with NITI Aayog in service delivery, governance systems and effective communication with the centre would help expeditious development of Rajasthan and would provide a template for other states to replicate.

Highlighted the success of the stories of the state government Smt. Raje said that Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan (MJSA) was an ambitious scheme which would secure Rajasthan’s future. In the first two phases of MJSA, rainwater harvesting structures were successfully constructed in 7700 villages and about 70 towns of the state. These structures contain rainwater resulting in uplift of underground water-table and increase in green covers, she said.

The Chief Minister said that in the third and fourth phases of the campaign, watershed structures would be created in more 6000 villages. For this, she sought NITI Aayog’s intervention for the central government assistance worth 3000 crore rupees as well as support from the Environment Ministry from its Green Climate Fund. She further asked for a special annual assistance of 7275 crore rupees for 10 years from the union government for providing clean drinking water to the state’s 7.5 crore population.

Smt. Raje underlined the need for reforms in agriculture sector for long-term goal of nutrition security, climate resilience in agriculture production systems and asked for dedicated funds for this from the Agriculture Ministry along with its engagement in research through the agencies like Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR). She asked the NITI Aayog help in payments due from the Centre towards the NREGA, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana etc.

Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Shri Arvind Panagariya said that it was Rajasthan which initiated for Ease of Doing Business through labour reforms even ahead of the Centre. He appreciated the initiatives undertaken by the state government in past 3 years including amendments in labour laws, land reforms of allowing land lease for solar energy parks, a modern Rent Act for urban housing and significant work in Swacch Bharat Mission.

Member of Aayog Prof. Ramesh Chand gave suggestions on compulsory implementation of e-auction of crops in markets in the states listed under e-NAM. He further asked for promotion of high yield varieties of crops, focus on livestock management and protection of community land areas by increasing green cover. He asked for more reforms in agriculture sector by promoting contract farming, forestry activities on private land and discouragement of the crops which require more water to grow.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aayog Shri Amitabh Kant praised Bhamashah Scheme as a model scheme for the country. Commending the MJSA, reforms in labour, education, EoBD and irrigation sectors by the state government, he said that through such initiatives Rajasthan had potential to be number one state of the country.

During this, Members of the Council of Ministers, Chief Secretary Shri OP Meena, Deputy Chairman of CM Advisory Council Shri CS Rajan, Chairman of State Finance Commission Smt. Jyoti Kiran Shukla, Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of various department and senior officers were also present.