Narendra Modi: Central schemes no longer limited to certain people, reaching all

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon Chief Ministers to contribute their efforts towards 100 per cent implementation of Central schemes for the poor people’s welfare as he said these were no longer limited to certain people and reaching everyone without discrimination.

He encouraged states to give fresh ideas to the Finance Commission on outcome-based allocations and expenditure correction, while calling for a widespread debate and consultations on simultaneous parliamentary and assembly elections, “keeping in view various aspects such as the resulting financial savings and consequent better utilisation of resources”.

In his closing remarks at fourth meeting of the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council, Modi, welcoming the constructive discussion and suggestions made by various Chief Ministers, assured them that these would be seriously considered during decision-making, an official statement said. He asked the NITI Aayog to follow up, within three months, on the actionable points suggested by states.

Modi termed it “vital to identify the ‘last people in the line’ so that benefits of governance can reach them”. “Similarly social justice is an important governance objective. These noble causes require close coordination and constant monitoring,” he said. On his government’s guiding principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, the Prime Minister said: “The schemes of the Union government are no longer limited to certain people, or to certain regions and are reaching everyone without discrimination, in a balanced way.” Noting that all villages of the country are now electrified, he said that, under Saubhagya Yojana, four crore houses are now being provided with electricity connections.