Discussing development ideas with States: NITI Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar

Amaravati: NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said here on Wednesday that they have begun an engagement with all States to "develop together" by sharing ideas in the spirit of cooperative federalism.

"This is a part of our effort at cooperative federalism that we want to visit and engage with all States. Our own hope and our own vision is that we will intensify this engagement in a constructive manner, both for discussing ideas for development together and also for facilitating interaction with other Central government ministries and departments," he said.

The NITI Aayog team, led by the Vice-Chairman, held a meeting with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and discussed a wide range of issues, a CMO release said.

The Aayog, he said, "Would also try to sort out contentious issues between States… like you have with Telangana. We will try and work on that."

Complimenting the AP government for "a lot of very good work done", Rajiv Kumar noted that what's happening in Andhra was quite creditable and remarkable. He hoped that the State would grow on this trajectory.

"Some of the measures you have taken are innovative and quite unique, being done for the first time in the country, like the digital libraries, Rythu Bharosa Kendras, decentralising the procurement, etc. We would like to replicate this in other States," the Vice-Chairman said.

Observing that he saw potential in AP, he said the State could really come out on top in the country. "Whatever is required by us to be done, we can do," he assured.

NITI Aayog Special Secretary K Rajeswara Rao, senior advisor Neelam Patel, advisor Avinash Mishra, AP Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargava, School Education Commissioner S Suresh Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.

Earlier in the day, the NITI Aayog team, on a two-day visit to the State, made a field visit to Veerapanenigudem village near Vijayawada and interacted with the farmers engaged in natural farming.

The team visited the mango field of a farmer B Krishna Reddy to study the intercropping with black gram. It also visited a mango orchard where 14 fruit varieties were grown.

Rajiv Kumar and team visited the local village secretariat and Rythu Bharosa Kendra. In the evening, the team held a meeting with industrialists and representatives of Industry associations at the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation headquarters at Mangalagiri.

Special Chief Secretary (Industries and Infrastructure) R Karikal Valaven made a presentation on the various initiatives of the State government to promote industrial growth in the State.

The team also interacted with Vice-Chancellors of universities, academicians and representatives of civil society organisations at the Acharya Nagarjuna University. Earlier, the State government officials appealed to the NITI Aayog team to make efforts to get power supply dues to the tune of Rs 6,284 crore from Telangana State and Rs 18,969 crore under resource gap as per CAG report.