PANAJI: Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, expressing concern over NITI Aayog, has stated that under the planning commission system, states had their freedom in governance and planning; however, this freedom is obviously going to be eroded and states are more likely to be governed by the Aayog from time to time.
Naik stated that “as per the stated objective and functions of NITI Aayog or the National Institution for Transforming India, the institution plays a leadership role in policy making in the central government, works closely with state governments, serves as knowledge hub and monitors progress in implementation of policies and programmes of the government of India, which is, admittedly a think-tank of the government of India.”
He also said, “Now the chief ministers will have to forget that they have any organ in the body called brain. It is the NITI Aayog which will do the job of thinking for them. The state heads will be called to Delhi and will be fed with material of dos and don’ts.”
He said that this thinking exercise, the other day, went to such an extent that newspapers carried a news report that NITI Aayog is toying with the idea of imposing agriculture tax on farmers; however, the Union Finance Minister had to come out openly against the proposal reflected in one of the documents released by the Aayog and say, “I categorically state that the Central government has no plans to impose any tax on agriculture income.”
He further said that the NITI Aayog, which is supposed to be the think tank of the government, has chosen six islands off the coast of Andaman and Nicobar and Minicoy and four off the coast of Lakshadweep.
Their annual report 2016-17 states that request for qualification cum request for proposal for selection of consultants for preparation of concept development plans and detailed master plans for holistic development of identified 10 islands has been issued and process for selection of a consultant is underway, he said.
“However, it is difficult to perceive as to what NITI Aayog has in mind when it speaks of holistic development of as many as 10 islands in the country. Where are the funds going to come from? Is NITI Aayog going to empty the coffers of government of India for achieving the objective of the developments of these 10 islands?
“Special economic zones are in doldrums. Besides resorting to land grabbing, the promoters have done nothing. Is NITI Aayog really applying their mind to the issues that they have on their plate?
“Are they aware of Sagarmala project, coastal highway project and Bharatmala project, which will require huge tracks of land throughout the country, especially in the coastal areas with thousands of crore of rupees to fund them? Why is NITI Aayog spending tonnes of money of the government to do a mere bureaucratic work, which cannot have light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
“Are there no talented people in the state government administrations to draft legislations for leasing of agricultural land? And for whose benefit NITI Aayog proposes to prepare draft legislation on a state subject? Does NITI Aayog propose to eliminate lands which have been passed on to the tenants under land to the tiller system, under which, tenants have already become the owners of their land,” he has asked.
Naik said that “concepts like ‘Make in India’, ‘Skill India’, ‘Stand Up’, ‘Start Up’ cannot float in the air. Under Make in India, no agreement is being signed with foreign countries with mandatory clause, which would require the respective countries to manufacture their goods in toto in India and pass on, simultaneously, to the country.
“As regards Skill India, the ministry is simply outsourcing its work. Stand up scheme is presently in a sitting position and, as regards ‘start up’ it is refusing to start as its ‘switch gear’ is loaded with a number of bank formalities.”
