Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi today, with Opposition chief ministers from Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh — who had skipped the last meeting — set to attend. To be convened at Bharat Mandapam, the meeting will focus on how states can be the “building blocks” in India’s journey to becoming a developed nation.
The previous Governing Council meeting of India’s apex public policy think tank in July 2024 was boycotted by all Opposition CMs, except West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, in protest against what they called a “discriminatory” Union Budget presented days earlier. Banerjee, the lone Opposition attendee, had walked out mid-meeting, alleging she wasn’t given enough time to speak.
This time, Banerjee is not expected to attend the meeting, along with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, who had also skipped last year.
Tamil Nadu, Punjab CMs to raise grievances
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin (DMK) had led last year’s boycott of the 9th Governing Council meeting, on grounds that the Union Budget “completely ignored” the state. Set to attend the meeting this time, Stalin will raise the issue of funds allocation to Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X on May 21, Stalin said, “I am going to Delhi on the 24th to express my support for fair financial rights for Tamil Nadu at the #NITIAayog meeting… I will stand firm on my policy! I will fight to get funds for Tamil Nadu!”.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann (AAP), who will also be in attendance, said on May 22 he will raise the deployment of 296 CISF personnel to secure the Nangal dam with PM Modi at the NITI Aayog meeting.
“The move is aimed at stealing the water of the state by deploying the central forces. It means we get our water looted and also pay for it. We will not allow this,” Mann said.
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The Centre had sanctioned a contingent of armed CISF personnel for providing security cover to the Nangal dam on May 21 following a standoff between Punjab and Haryana over sharing of water from the dam.
தமிழ்நாட்டிற்கான நியாயமான நிதி உரிமையை #NITIAayog கூட்டத்தில் வெளிப்படுத்த 24-ஆம் தேதி டெல்லி செல்கிறேன்!
சசிகலா முதல் அமித் ஷா வரை ஆள் மாறினாலும், டேபிளுக்கு அடியில் காலைப் பிடிக்கும் பழக்கம் மாறாத எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் பழனிசாமிக்கு இதனைக் கண்டு ஏன் வலிக்கிறது?
“பா.ஜ.க.வுடன்… pic.twitter.com/03W1rihtjv
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 21, 2025
Agenda for the meeting
In addition to PM Modi, who chairs the Governing Council, and state CMs, the meeting’s attendees include Lieutenant Governors of states and Union Territories, Union Ministers, and the vice chairperson and members of NITI Aayog.
“The 10th Governing Council meeting provides a platform to the Centre and States/Union Territories to deliberate on development challenges facing the nation and building consensus on how States can be the building blocks for making India a developed nation, i.e., Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat,” a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release said.
“Measures for promoting entrepreneurship, enhancing skilling, and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the country, will also be deliberated in the meeting,” it added.
Who else is expected; what happened last year
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Telangana CM Revanth Reddy (INC) and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (INC) will also attend the meeting. Reddy will be the first CM from his state to attend the Governing Council meeting since 2018. He is expected to present a special report on goals set to be achieved by Telangana by 2047, and the support expected from the Centre for the same.
Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) will also attend the meeting as part of his two-day visit to New Delhi. Naidu’s TDP is a key alliance partner of the BJP-led NDA.
On Friday, his first day in the capital, Naidu had meetings with several Union ministers to develop centre-state coordination for infrastructure development, renewable energy, and water resource management.
Last year, the meeting was attended by CMs and LGs representing 20 states and 6 UTs. Then, PM Modi had said India needs to make its policies “conducive for international investments”.
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PM Modi had also called for united efforts by the Centre and states to realise the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision. He cited India’s economic progress and urged states to focus on skilling, innovation, poverty reduction, and agricultural reforms. Emphasising grassroots development, he encouraged each state and district to draft its own 2047 roadmap and praised NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme for driving local progress.