Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met Congress Chief Ministers and discussed issues to be taken up at the meeting of the governing council of NitiAayog later in the day. The meeting, held at the party office, was attended by the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh (Kamal Nath), Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot), Puducherry (V. Narayansamy), Chhattisgarh (BhupeshBaghel) and Karanataka (H.D. Kumaraswamy).
“They discussed the proposed agenda and issues of thestates ruled by the Congress and its allies to be taken up at today’smeeting,” a Congress leader said. Party leaders said that Manmohan Singhalso talked about the amendments required in the Forest Act, so that a changecan be brought in the lives of tribals. The former prime minister stressed on thenecessary action for improvement of agriculture and the rejuvenation of rivers.The group also discussed the policy required to bring investment inMaoist-affected or tribal areas areas, instead of exploiting natural resources.The NitiAayog meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi.