Image Source : PTI Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee on Friday left NITI Aayog meeting midway and accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment with West Bengal. NITI Aayog’s 9th Governing Council meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The council, the apex body of NITI Aayog, includes all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, and several Union ministers. 

Speaking to the reporters, Banerjee said, “…I said you (central government) should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak but could only speak for 5 minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes. I was the only one from the Opposition participating but still, I was not allowed to speak. This is insulting…”

“…I was speaking, my mic was stopped. I said why did you stop me, why are you discriminating. I am attending the meeting you should be happy instead of that you are giving more scope to your party your government. Only I am there from the opposition and you are stopping me from speaking…This is not only the insult of Bengal but also of all regional parties..,” she added.

During the conference, recommendations were made on five key themes — drinking water: access, quantity, and quality; electricity: quality, efficiency, and reliability; health: accessibility, affordability, and quality of care; schooling: access and quality and land and property: accessibility, digitisation, registration, and mutation.

A vision document is being prepared to help India become a developed economy of USD 30 trillion by 2047, the 100th year of its independence. In 2023, NITI Aayog was entrusted with the task of consolidating the 10 sectoral thematic visions into a combined vision for Viksit Bharat @2047. The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance, among other.