Prime Minister Narendra Modi will Saturday chair the fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog’s Governing Council which will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain-water harvesting and preparedness for Kharif crops.
The five-point agenda for the meeting also includesaspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security relatedissues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an officialstatement said.
The meeting, to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will beattended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories, severalunion ministers and senior government officials.
This will be the first governing council meeting under thenew Modi government.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, hasrefused to attend the meeting, saying it is “fruitless” as the NitiAayog has no financial powers to support state plans.
Headed by the Prime Minister, the Governing Council includesministers of Finance, Home, Defence, Agriculture, Commerce and RuralDevelopment, besides state chief ministers and Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEOand members.