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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Niti Aayog and a deepening federalism
In the past 11 years, India has witnessed an era of cooperative and fiscal federalism. The Centre and state governments have worked together on socioeconomic transformation for the achievement of shared goals. The ideal of Team India championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been the driving force behind this approach. Institutional and process reforms of unprecedented scale have brought about exceptional impact at all levels, the most significant being the rise of 25 crore citizens from multidimensional poverty. The transformation of the Planning Commission into the NITI Aayog in 2015 was an important change – it replaced a Centre-to-state one-way flow of policy with a collaborative partnership between the two. For long, knowledge resided where power was wielded. A phygital world is increasing the gap. NITI Aayog plays a vital role in bridging it. Unlike the Planning Commission, it encourages states to take ownership of their development agendas and has become a bridge between the Centre and states. The Aayog's annual Governing Council Meeting acts as the apex platform for the political leadership of the Centre and states to deliberate on issues of national importance. The annual Chief Secretaries Conference is a platform for the senior-most bureaucrats of the country to discuss challenges and share best practices. Its indices have acted as a catalyst for a competitive federal system, inspiring laggard states to improve their performance. The Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme has been transformative in improving the quality of life of citizens from nearly 350 districts and 500 blocks. It has brought the most backward regions at par with state averages across key socio-economic parameters. The key to development for states is the availability of sufficient resources. A significant step in this direction was the decision to increase the states' share in the divisible pool of taxes from 32 per cent to 42 per cent. Recommended by the 14th Finance Commission and implemented by the Centre, this was the largest-ever change in tax devolution at one go. This was implemented in a cooperative spirit to provide autonomy to states in designing and implementing schemes. The Finance Commission's formula has been constantly evolving to address the states' fiscal autonomy and reduce inequality. Transfers to poorer states such as UP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh between the 11th (2004-05) and 15th Finance Commissions (2023-24) have seen substantial increases. If one looks at aggregate numbers from 2014-15 to 2024-25, states' share in central taxes increased from Rs 3.37 lakh crore to Rs 12.23 lakh crore. The GST Council has acted as a platform for fiscal federalism with decision making through consensus between the Centre and states. In actual terms, states receive around 71 per cent of the revenue from GST, while the Centre's share remains at about 29 per cent. Since the rollout of GST, the Centre has foregone 0.5-1 per cent of GDP in revenue annually to fund the 14 per cent compensation guarantee to states. About Rs 6.52 lakh crore have been provided as GST compensation to states from 2017-18 to 2024-25. The Centre's commitment to fiscal federalism has empowered states with more resources in the last decade compared to the previous decade. The ratio of gross transfers (including states' share in central taxes, grants, and loans) to GDP was 5.2 per cent in the decade preceding 2015-16, and has now increased to 6.5 per cent. During this period, grants from the Centre have increased by 234 per cent, and gross loans from the Centre have increased by a massive 992 per cent. The Union budget 2025-26 further proposed an outlay of Rs1.5 lakh crore for 50-year interest-free loans to states for capital expenditure. Even in states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, average central taxes and grants from the Centre as a percentage of total revenue increased from 25 per cent to 31 per cent and 49 per cent to 56 per cent, respectively, from the decade of 2004-14 to 2014-24. In absolute terms, the annual total transfer by the Centre to all states/UTs increased by Rs 14.96 lakh crore in this period. The division of subjects into the Union, State and Concurrent Lists enables efficient distribution of responsibilities to each level of the government. However, the Centre continues to contribute to subjects in the State and Concurrent Lists through the Central Sector (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). Between 2015-16 and 2023-24, CS and CSS releases registered an increase of 197 per cent. Some of the CSS have had a transformative impact. The Jal Jeevan Mission witnessed a 570 per cent resource allocation increase between 2019-20 to 2025-26 and benefitted 15.44 crore rural households with tap water connections. Between its launch in 2018-19 and 2025-26, the budget estimate for PM Jan Aarogya Yojana surged by 292 per cent. Consequently, out-of-pocket health expenditure has declined from 62.6 per cent to 39.4 per cent, with recorded savings of Rs 1.25 lakh crore during the same period. From 2020 to 2025, the allocation for PM Awas Yojana-Gramin surged by approximately 181 per cent with 2.67 crore houses already constructed by 2024. The grassroots change that these impactful schemes have brought into the lives of common citizens is evident. The Centre's commitment to cooperative federalism is equally evident as water, health and housing are all in the State List of the Constitution. The word 'federalism' is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. Yet, it has been our guiding mantra. B R Ambedkar had said, 'Our Constitution would be both unitary as well as federal according to the requirements of time and circumstances'. The last decade has been a testimony to the power of cooperative, competitive and fiscal federalism and the positive impact it has had on the lives of 140 crore citizens. (Subrahmanyam is CEO and Shah is senior specialist, NITI Aayog. Views are personal)
India Gazette
27-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Every district in country to have BIS facility within a year: Pralhad Joshi
ANI 27 May 2025, 22:22 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi announced on Tuesday that every district across the country will have a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) facility within a year, and the government is actively working towards this goal. Currently, 371 districts have BIS facilities. Speaking at the 9th Governing Council Meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards, which he headed, Joshi emphasised that while BIS functions as a regulatory body, it must also serve as a facilitator. 'BIS should communicate the benefits of obtaining BIS certification to encourage more people to seek these services,' he said. The minister issued a stern warning against corruption, stating that the department maintains a zero-tolerance policy and will deal strictly with any complaints of corrupt practices among officials. The Union Minister applauded the achievements of BIS and highlighted the significant progress made under the Modi government. 'When the Modi government came to power in 2014, there were only 14 Quality Control Orders (QCOs). In the span of 10 years, India now has more than 100 QCOs,' he noted. The expansion of BIS facilities nationwide is expected to improve quality control standards and make certification services more accessible to businesses and consumers across the country. The BIS is dedicated to ensuring the quality of products and services in India. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘Small-eyed Ganesh idols': PM Modi says time to back 'Make-in-India', limit foreign goods
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a swipe at imported goods by referring to 'small-eyed' Ganesh idols, urging traders to stop selling foreign products and instead contribute to the country's growth through the 'Make-in-India' initiative to further boost India's economy. Addressing a public rally in Gujarat's Gandhinagar PM Modi said, 'We must encourage village traders to pledge that no matter, however, much profit they make, they will not sell foreign goods. But unfortunately, even Ganesh idols come from overseas, small-eyed Ganesh idols whose eyes don't even open properly. For Operation Sindoor, as a citizen, I have a task for you: go home and make a list of how many foreign products you use in 24 hours.' He stressed that India's climb up the global economic ladder should not just bring celebration, but also a sense of responsibility to aim higher. He stated that becoming the third-largest economy should now be the nation's focus. Reflecting on the country's economic journey since he first assumed office, Modi said, 'On 26th May 2014, I took the oath as the Prime Minister for the first time. At that time, India's economy was at the 11th India has become the world's fourth-largest economy. It is a matter of pride for all of us that we have now surpassed Japan...I still remember the excitement across the country when we moved from sixth to fifth place, especially among the youth. The reason was that India had overtaken the United Kingdom, the very nation that ruled over us for 250 years.' He added, 'The pressure of becoming the third (largest economy) is more than the happiness of becoming the fourth (largest economy). The country is not ready to wait. If someone asks to wait, the slogan is raised 'Modi hai toh mumkin hai'...Our goal is clear, by 2047, India must be a Viksit nation. No compromise. We will not mark 100 years of independence casually. We will celebrate it in such a manner that the flag of a Viksit Bharat will fly high across the world.' PM Modi said that Operation Sindoor would now be driven by the collective strength of Indians, as he reiterated the importance of producing and purchasing goods made in India. 'On the night of May 6, Operation Sindoor began with the strength of our armed forces. But now, this Operation Sindoor will move forward with the strength of the people. When I speak of the strength of our armed forces and the people's strength, I mean that every citizen should become a partner in the nation's development. If we all contribute to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and to take our economy from the 4th to the 3rd position globally, we will not rely on foreign products,' Modi said. His comments came as India officially overtook Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy, according to the latest data. Speaking at a press conference following the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog on the theme 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat 2047', NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam confirmed the development using International Monetary Fund (IMF) data. "We are the fourth-largest economy as I speak. We are a USD 4 trillion economy. This is not my data; this is the data from the IMF. India today is larger than Japan. It's only the United States, China, and Germany which are larger, and if we stick to what is being planned, what is being thought through, it's a matter of another two to three years; we would become the third largest economy," said Subrahmanyam. As per the IMF's April World Economic Outlook report, India's nominal GDP for fiscal year 2026 is projected to hit around USD 4.187 trillion, slightly ahead of Japan's estimated USD 4.186 trillion. The report also forecasts that India's economy will grow by 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026—outpacing both global and regional averages. (With ANI inputs)
India Gazette
25-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha questions Govt on Hunger Index, Income inequality amidst economic growth
New Delhi [India], May 25 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Sunday questioned India's growth as the world's fourth largest economy would translate to progress and prosperity for every household in the country, which continues to battle persistent issues of hunger and income inequality. The CEO of Niti Aayog BVR Subrahmanyam on Saturday said that India has overtaken Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy. The RJD MP said, 'The common citizen understands the economy better when progress and prosperity reaches every home. What will happen to the hunger index? Where are we on the inclusive growth index? Why is income inequality increasing so much? All these things should happen simultaneously.' NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) BVR Subrahmanyam on May 25 said that India has overtaken Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy, citing data by the International Monetary Fund. Addressing a press conference of the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting on 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat 2047', Subrahmanyam stated that India's economy has reached the USD 4 trillion mark. According to the IMF's April edition of the World Economic Outlook report, the nominal GDP for fiscal 2026 is expected to reach around USD 4,187.017 billion. This is marginally more than the likely GDP of Japan, which is estimated at USD 4,186.431 billion. India was the fifth largest economy in the world till 2024. Meanwhile, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha also termed as 'astonishing' Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's comments on Jawaharlal Nehru. Sarma had on Saturday while addressing the 10th Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog alleged that despite opportunities, Jawaharlal Nehru failed to include Chittagong into India and Indira Gandhi was unable to negotiate a broader and more secure geographical corridor to the Northeast. 'Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's recent statement is quite astonishing. He claims that Nehru failed to merge with India and Indira Gandhi failed to secure a more stable corridor. It's concerning that some scholars seem to lack a deep understanding of our country's history and its complexities. They appear to have a limited grasp of the events that have shaped our nation since 1947. As someone who has held positions in the past, one would expect a certain level of awareness and appreciation for the country's journey. However, the Chief Minister's statement suggests a rather narrow perspective, implying that India's history began in 2014, and that we had no army, government, or freedom fighters before that. This perspective is not only inaccurate but also worrisome,' Jha said. (ANI)
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Uttarakhand CM Dhami directs chief secretary to prepare action plan for NITI Aayog meeting outcome
NEW DELHI: Following the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed his Chief Secretary to prepare a clear and practical strategy at the state level for the effective implementation of the points discussed during the meet. According to a statement from the Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office, Dhami, after the meeting on Saturday, emphasised the importance of realising Modi's vision of a "Developed India @ 2047", and for this, the state government needs to effectively implement the schemes and policies at the grassroots level by coordinating with the central government. He instructed the Chief Secretary to prepare a time-bound action plan in coordination with concerned departments and ensure continuous monitoring of its progress. The Chief Minister also stressed the need for transparency, accountability, and public participation in the implementation process. "The Chief Minister also said that transparency and accountability should be fixed at every level while ensuring public participation. He said that the state government is fully participating in the resolve to make India a self-reliant and developed nation under the leadership of the Prime Minister," the statement from CMO read. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The Uttarakhand CMO also took to X, stating, "After the meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Honourable Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami ji directed the Chief Secretary to prepare a concrete strategy for the implementation of the instructions and suggestions received from the Prime Minister. The Honourable Chief Minister directed the concerned officials to work in better coordination between the Centre and the State to realise the resolve of the Honourable Prime Minister of 'Developed India @ 2047'". Earlier during the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that all the states should work together to make India a developed country and achieve the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047'. In an official statement, Prime Minister Modi said that we should commit to developing every state, every city, and every village, and only then would we be able to make the country a Viksit Bharat. Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors representing 24 states and seven Union Territories attended the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday. This year's theme was Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047. The meeting commenced with a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. PM Modi said that every Indian aspires for the country to be a Viksit Bharat. "It is not the agenda of any party but the aspiration of 140 crore Indians. If all states work together towards this goal, then we will make stupendous progress. We should commit to developing every state, every city, and every village, and then Viksit Bharat will be achieved much before 2047," he said.
