New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s absence from the high-level NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked political speculation, with leaders from the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) calling it “unfortunate” and indicative of a deeper political message.

The 10th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday. The meeting was attended by several Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors, and Administrators from across the country, and focused on development strategies under the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’.

Speaking to IANS, Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Tariq Anwar said, “Nitish Kumar’s absence from the NITI Aayog meeting is significant. He is the Chief Minister in a double-engine government, and this meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Modi himself. His decision to skip it sends a major political message.”

RJD leader Manoj Jha also expressed concern, saying, “If the reports are true, then I consider it unfortunate. Bihar is neither in autopilot nor in pilot mode. We keep hearing daily about incidents of loot and murder. In such a situation, the Chief Minister not attending a key national development meeting is troubling. I don’t even know who represented Bihar in his place.”

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi addressed the NITI Aayog meeting with a call for collaborative development between the Centre and the states. He emphasised the need to build “future-ready cities” to keep pace with India’s rapid urbanisation.

“India is getting rapidly urbanised. We should work towards future-ready cities. Growth, innovation, and sustainability should be the engines of urban development,” the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting the theme of “Team India,” PM Modi added, “We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all States come together and work as a team, no goal is impossible.”

The Prime Minister also urged states to focus on tourism, suggesting that each state should develop at least one globally recognised tourist destination.

“One State: One Global Destination should be our mantra. It will not only elevate that location but also lead to the development of surrounding areas,” he said.

Addressing gender inclusion, PM Modi called for policies that enhance the participation of women in the workforce.

“We must ensure respectful integration of women in the workforce through progressive laws and policies,” he stated.

The NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting provides a platform for the Centre and states/UTs to deliberate on measures to advance the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and build consensus on how states can be the building blocks for making India a developed nation.

–IANS

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