Centre faces Oppn heat on cooperative federalism

New Delhi: The fourth meeting of the Niti Aayog's governing council was held on Sunday under the shadow of an unprecedented and unexpected show of opposition unity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked "Team India" and said, "the Governing Council has approached complex issues of governance... in the spirit of cooperative, competitive federalism".

The PM said Chief Ministers of states had played a key role in policy formulation, through sub-groups and committees on issues such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Digital Transactions, and Skill Development.

Modi said the challenge now before the government is to take the economic growth rate to double digits, for which many vital steps would have to be taken.

Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states firmly said the Centre should follow cooperative federalism and not 'unnecessarily interfere' in state affairs.

Geared up to confront the Modi government on various issues like 15th Finance Commission report and distribution of central funding, the opposition chief ministers on Sunday attacked the NDA government for what they termed weakening the federal structure of the constitution.

"Has the Centre ever tried to know about states' problems? Every state has its own problems? Centre decides on policies, but it is the states which are the implementing authorities, it is we who have to do the job.

"I think the Centre should follow cooperative federalism and not unnecessarily interfere into state affairs. The centre should strengthen the federal cooperative structure," West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said after the meet. Chief ministers of states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka were among those who raised the issue of loan waiver scheme for farmers.

Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, in his address, sought 50 per cent support from the Centre to implement the scheme. On the issue of 15th Finance Commission, the opposition chief ministers voiced their apprehensions and urged the Centre to reframe its terms.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu said progressive states would lose heavily if the 2011 census was taken as the basis for devolution of central funds.

"I urge the Union government to reframe these terms of reference in such a way as to ensure real fairness and equity in the matter of devolution of resources to the states," Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in his speech.

Meanwhile, Banerjee who was vocal against the Niti Aayog alleged it does not do anything for the states.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami told the Centre that states' flexibility to augment their own resources was "very limited" in the post-GST era; thus the revenue from all indirect taxes should be given to them.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar - a member of the BJP-led NDA grouping - also supported the Special Category Status request of Andhra Pradesh at the meeting, while demanding the same status for his state.