Arun Jaitley on PM Modi's Meeting With Chief Ministers: Highlights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a meeting of Chief Ministers in the national capital to discuss the structure, scope and role of the new body that will replace the Planning Commission.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed a press conference after the meeting. Here are the highlights:

• The meeting was attended by all states and Union Territories.
• Most CMs present themselves, CMs of West Bengal, Mizoram were represented by Finance Ministers; 2 poll-going states represented by senior officials.
• The thrust of the new model would be cooperative federalism.
  
• Both state and private sector would have an important role.
  
• Role, relevance and restructuring has to looked at afresh.
  
• PM referred to the need pointed out by former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh to relook at Planning Commission.
  
• PM Narendra Modi believes that the process of policy planning has to now change from top-to-bottom to bottom-to-top.
• In order to expand economic activity, and to make sure that we play an imp. role, the role of Planning Commission has to be relooked at.
• In order to expand economic activity, and to make sure that we play an important role, the role of Planning Commission has to be relooked at.
  
• Requirements of each state are different, one-size-fits-all approach will not work.
  
• There is a need to decentralize both power and planning, states have to be strengthened.
  
• There can't be a universal scheme which applies to all states.
  
• Requirements of each state are different, one-size-fits-all approach will not work.
  
• Some participants felt whether the current Planning Commission could evolve into the desired structure.
  
• Most CMs favoured an alternative structure where both Centre, states and experts could participate.
• The meeting will now be followed up by an informal 'retreat' - comprising only political leaders - with no specific agenda.
• Whether to evolve the present Planning Commission or to establish a new body discussed; most CMs in favour of a new body.