West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee likely to attend NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi on July 27

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to go to Delhi for three days by the end of this month where she is likely to attend the Niti Aayog governing council meeting scheduled on July 27 (Saturday). This meeting will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trinamool Congress sources said the Chief Minister might go to Delhi on July 25 and return on July 28.

“There is a high possibility that the Chief Minister will attend the Niti Aayog governing council meeting for which the CMs of all the states have been invited. She might also hold meetings with the Trinamool representatives in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and finalise the party’s strategy on the floor of the House for the coming days,” said a member of the state Cabinet, who did not wish to be named.

However, he refrained from commenting on whether Banerjee will meet the leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc or any other Chief Minister from the non-BJP ruled states who will be in the national capital at that time to attend the Niti Aayog meeting.

Political observers view the proposed visit of the Chief Minister as crucial given that Trinamool's importance in the INDIA bloc has increased manifold following its commendable performance in the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly by-polls that followed.

Boycotting NITI Aayog meeting by some CMs amounts to boycotting states' development

Chief Ministers of opposition-ruled states, who have decided to skip the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting are seemingly boycotting the development of their states, government sources said. More than 100 issues of importance will be discussed at the Governing Council Meeting (GCM), and the states that will not be represented will end up losing out, they said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is presiding over the NITI Aayog Governing Council being held in Delhi. The sources said that during the meeting, roadmap and thrust will be laid out on the issues of making the country a developed economy by 2047, MSMEs, infrastructure and investments, minimising compliances, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, and Gati Shakti for boosting development and social infrastructure.

(With agencies inputs) 

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