PM Modi chairs 7th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog

According to Niti Aayog, the meeting will pave the way for synergies towards a new era of collaboration and cooperation between the Centre and States/ Union Territories.

As India commemorates 75 years of Independence, there is a reinforced need for the states to be agile, resilient and self-reliant and move towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat in a spirit of cooperative federalism, Niti Aayog said.

"The agenda of the meeting, interalia, includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the National Education Policy–school education; implementation of the National Education Policy–higher education; and urban governance," Niti Aayog added.

As part of preparations for the meeting, the National Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in Dharamshala in June 2022 which was the culmination of the six-month long rigorous exercise by the Centre and States.

The conference was chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, along with senior officials of the Central and State Governments.

The 7th Governing Council Meeting will endeavour to finalize a roadmap and outcome-oriented action plan on each of the above themes, Niti Aayog said.

This would be the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019.

It is particularly important as we enter Amrit Kaal against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and in light of India hosting the G20 Presidency and summit next year, Niti Aayog said.

The meeting would also lay emphasis on the importance of the Presidency for India for the federal system and the role that states can play in highlighting their progress at the G-20 Platform.