Ahead of polls, PM Modi to hasten reforms

New Delhi: Aiming to fast-track the reform process across the country with just 22 months left for the LS elections, PM Narendra Modi will hold a high-level meeting of secretaries of major central government departments, Niti Aayog top brass and chief secretaries to review where the states stand in terms of development parameters, mainly in the field of agriculture. Cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha will also be present during the meeting.

The meeting comes at a time when a several states are facing agrarian distress and farmers are up in arms seeking better price for their produce. The high-level interaction becomes all the more important after last month’s violent farmers’ agitation in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district, which led to several deaths. According to sources, the day-long meeting, which is scheduled for July 10, will culminate with an address by Mr Modi. Detailed presentations on how states have performed on development parameters will be made by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

While secretaries of all the afore mentioned departments will engage in a brainstorming session, Mr Kant is expected to discuss threadbare with all these officials as well as states’ chief secretaries, the targets given to all states and how much these have been in the last three years of the NDA dispensation.

The brainstorming sessions will focus on agricultural reforms addressing agrarian distress. Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha and Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya will speak to all the officials and according to sources privy to developments, they are likely to emphasise on the need to keep the focus on providing best practices to people in agriculture, health and nutrition - the three key sectors which the Centre especially has its focus on.

Even the Union Budget for 2017-18 was mainly agriculture-centric and with Mr Modi holding special interest on improving social parameters, the meeting holds a lot of significance, as he is now keen that all central departments and states should try and meet all targets related to these segments.

Niti Aayog officials will also make a presentation on an analysis on the financial position of states post the 14th Finance Commission recommendations. The Centre had increased states’ share of divisible pool of central taxes by 10 per cent to 42 per cent in February 2015 as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.

DIPP secretary Ramesh Abhishek will be making a presentation on the subject “ranking states on ease of doing business - making states easy and simple to attract investment”. Chief secretaries will speak on one best practice being implemented by them in their respective states during the meeting, sources informed further.