NEW DELHI: Estimating that urban population would grow by 22 crore by 2031, the NITI Aayog has spelt out the vision to ensure “access to two-wheelers or cars, air-conditioning, and other white goods for nearly all” in its 15-year Vision Document.
The think-tank panel has also told the Governing Council meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that the focus of the government would be on early completion of 8,214 ongoing projects to ensure irrigation facilities to 27.31 lakh hectares of rain-fed areas.
Think-tank panel member Ramesh Chand in his presentation before the conclave stated that a special cell has been constituted to work with the State governments on the issue of land reforms, including land leasing policy. The newly elected governments in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have removed the restrictive clauses in their respective State laws on the land leasing policy, Chand said.
Chand also informed the meeting that the think-tank panel is working on promoting the formation of water users association, besides supporting projects for revival of existing tanks, ponds, and water bodies as part of the PM’s vision of “har khet ko pani (water for each farm land)”.
The NITI Aayog in its draft 15-year Vision Document has pegged that the urban population would rise to 60 crore by 2031, compared to 37.7 crore in 2011. The think-tank panel also stated that the Chinese urban population had grown by 31 crore in the last 15 years.
The think-tank panel elaborated on the theme of “New India”, saying that the aim would be to ensure a fully literate population, with access to health care, digital connection, besides improving the road networks in the rural areas.