NEW DELHI: On the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NITI Aayog is learnt to have prepared the blueprint for the socio-economic turnaround of Uttar Pradesh, which the BJP had bagged after the recently held Assembly elections.
The think-tank panel has reportedly stressed on the Yogi Adityanath led UP government to embark on the path of institutional reforms to fulfil the promises made to the people at the time of state polls. The blueprint for UP’s development has been prepared by senior officials of NITI Aayog under the “guidance of the vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya and CEO Amitabh Kant”.
Besides institutional reforms, UP needs to work on substantive turnaround of the education and health sector along with major thrust on agriculture to help the farmers earn better income. “The blueprint is being shared with the chief minister.
Essentially, it seeks substantive improvement in ease of doing business to attract investment. That the state enjoys proximity to the national capital has remained an asset not exploited by previous administrations. There is immense potential for attracting investment, which can spur employment opportunities for India’s most populous state.
But the state government needs to cut the red-tapism and unveil transparent system of governance,” said a senior official of the think-tank panel, who is privy to the preparations of the report. The NITI Aayog is also learnt to have nudged the Yogi Adityanath government to take a lead in taking steps to achieve the 2022-23 target set by the Prime Minister for doubling of farmers’ income. “The state is largely agrarian and more than two-third of the population dependent on farming for livelihood. The farmers in the state are most stressed.
The NITI Aayog in its three years action plan has given a detailed roadmap on doubling of farmers’ income, which the state government can adopt and take lead from others,” added the official.
The think-tank panel has also argued that UP is uniquely gifted to attract a great number of foreign tourists. “Besides a large number of monuments of international fame, the state can become a gateway for spiritual tourism gaining traction globally, which can play a multiplier effect on job creations.
But the state needs to gets its act together and effectively control the law and order situations, besides putting in place the necessary infrastructure,” said the official.
Incidentally, Panagariya had led a team of senior officials who had called on the UP chief minister to discuss the vision of the BJP led state government. Afterwards, the UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh had also visited NITI Aayog and discussed the scenario of his department with the think-tank panel.