Chief ministers of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala on Sunday, 17 June, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the NITI Aayog governing council meeting, and urged him to intervene and solve the tussle between Delhi Lt Governor and the AAP government.
West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh's Chandrababu Naidu, Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan, and Karnataka's HD Kumaraswamy requested PM Modi to resolve the crisis so that the "federal structure of the Constitution is maintained".
The four chief ministers also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh with the same request.
We have raised the issue with the prime minister as well as the home minister. We told them that the deadlock should be resolved for the sake of the people. The prime minister did not say anything, but Rajnath Singh said that he would look into the matter. We said what we had to, now they have to sort it out. It is their matter now.Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister said after the meeting
Terming the deadlock as a "political crisis", the Opposition leaders said that people should not suffer due to any political crisis brought about by any political party.
‘Must Work to Achieve Two-Digit Growth’: PM Modi at NITI Aayog
The fourth meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council began in New Delhi on Sunday, 17 June, with main agenda of deliberating upon measures taken to double farmers' income and the progress of government's flagship schemes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, which was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Addressing the meeting, PM Modi said that the challenge before government is to take growth rate to double digits.
PM mentioned the issues on the agenda today, including doubling of farmers income, development of aspirational districts, Ayushman Bharat, Mission Indradhanush, Nutrition Mission and celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
PM told the council that 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres are being constructed under Ayushman Bharat. He said about 10 crore families will be provided health assurance worth Rs 5 lakhs every year.
Highlighting his government’s achievements, PM Modi claimed: “States are receiving over Rs 11 lakh crore from Centre this fiscal, a rise of Rs 6 lakh crore from last year of previous government.”
Among others attending the meet are Union ministers J P Nadda and Nitin Gadkari.
AP CM Chandrababu Naidu Raises State Bifurcation Issue
Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday raised issues related to state bifurcation, special category status and Polavaram project at the NITI Aayog meet, ANI reported.
Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee supported Naidu on the issue of 2011 census being adopted by 15th Finance Commission and requested not to penalise the performing states.
Kant Says Report on Baijal's Presence Incorrect
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he has not "authorised" LG Anil Baijal to attend the NITI Aayog meeting in his place after a report claimed the presence of the Constitutional head at the meeting.
However, NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant described the report as "totally incorrect".
“Under which provision of the Constitution does LG have powers to replace the Chief Minister? I have not authorised him to go in my place,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Kejriwal was responding to a Twitter user's claim that LG Baijal "chose" to represent Delhi at the NITI Aayog meeting.
Responding to the report, Kant said, “This is totally incorrect. Lt. Governor of Delhi is not present at the Fourth Meeting of the Govening Council of NITI Aayog.”
Kejriwal accompanied by his deputy Manish Sisodia and ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai is staging a dharna at Baijal's office for the last one week, demanding that IAS officers end their "strike" and approve doorstep ration delivery scheme of his government.
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