NEW DELHI, June 15 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there is immense untapped export potential in several States, including the northeastern States.
The Prime Minister was making his opening remarks at the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
Noting that the export sector is an important element in the progress of developing countries, the Prime Minister said both the Centre and the States should work towards growth in exports, in order to raise per capita income. He said a thrust on export promotion at the State level will provide a boost to both income and employment.
Participating in the meeting, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stressed on the need for effective management of flood and erosion problems afflicting a large part of the State every year. He pointed out that the norms of relief and rehabilitation provided to the flood-affected people as per SDRF guidelines are low and urged for increased funds for prevention, mitigation, preparedness and rehabilitation after natural calamities.
The Chief Minister also vouched for NITI Aayog�s intervention to include river erosion in the admissible list of calamities for funding under NDRF or SDRF so that quick and timely steps could be taken to counter erosion.
Appreciating the move for setting up a high-level committee for proper management of water resources in the northeastern region under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog Vice Chairman, Sonowal opined that suggestions made in the draft report of the committee would go a long way in finding a permanent solution to the problems of flood and erosion in Assam.
The Chief Minister also informed the meeting that the State government had made progress in addressing the needs of the seven selected aspirational districts of the State and Rs 28 crore has been earmarked in the budget for new activities in those districts. He also referred to Hailakandi district�s achievement of being ranked first among the aspirational districts in India for which Rs 10 crore was awarded to the district.
Pointing out that many farmers were being deprived of benefits of various farmer welfare measures because of not possessing required land right certificates, Sonowal highlighted the State government�s endeavour to distribute land pattas to one lakh farmer families within the current financial year.
Stating that there was urgent need to update the data for providing benefits of flagship programmes of the Central government, the Chief Minister remarked that data sourced from the socioeconomic caste census 2011 for the schemes did not provide a proper picture about genuine beneficiaries of present time as some people might have moved out from poverty categories, while new people might be eligible for inclusion.
Sonowal said he was optimistic that the next Finance Commission would provide funds for development of the Sixth Schedule Council areas of the State.
