New Delhi: Stating that India has no shortage of capabilities, capacities and resources, and with the Indian economy having grown at a healthy rate of 7.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017-18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a meeting of Chief Ministers here on Sunday that much more needs to be done to achieve double-digit GDP growth.
Mr Modi also urged the CMs to “give fresh ideas” to the 15th Finance Commission for giving incentives to outcome-based allocations and expenditure correction, amid demands by some states to revisit the panel’s terms of reference.
The PM said various Union ministries have incorporated the recommendations of the sub-groups of the planning body. He asked the Niti Aayog to follow up with states on actionable points made by them within three months.
Other issues like doubling of farmers' incomes, the development of aspirational districts, Ayushman Bharat, Mission Indradhanush, Nutrition Mission and the celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi also figured in the discussions.
Outlining several achievements, the PM said 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres were being constructed under the Ayushman Bharat programme, while about 10 crore families would be provided with health assurance worth '5 lakhs every year.
These steps, the PM said, were essential for achieving the vision of New India by 2020. The governing council, he said, was a platform which could bring about “historic change” in the development of the country.
Observing that it was imperative to tackle economic imbalances on priority, he said schemes such as Mudra Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana and Stand Up India were helping to ensure greater financial inclusion.
On the environment front, Mr Modi urged all states to use LED bulbs in their government buildings, official residences and streetlights.
Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said the PM had said the Centre would fulfil all the promises that were made at the time of the bifurcation of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in “letter and spirit”.
