Decision of Union Government in Country’s Interest Must Be Welcomed

Bhopal: If Union Government takes any decision in the interest of the country than it should be welcomed whether it is demonetization or any other decision. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said this during the India Today Conclave-2017 held in Grand Hyatt Hotel of Mumbai (Maharashtra) today. Chouhan beside Chief Minister of Mahrashtra Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Smt. Mehbooba Mufti participated in discussion on the subject ‘Cooperate and Compete-New Federalism’.

Chouhan said that the Chief Minister of any state has powers like any cabinet minister. Powers are distributed between states and center under the federal constitution and each government works within the limit under the constitution. He said that it does not means that there is no cooperation prevails between the two. Union and state governments both work for the welfare of the citizens with mutual understanding.

Chouhan informed that after formation of union government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cabinet ministers and chief ministers of the states should work as a team India. Mutual cooperation is must between the states of the country. Competition among states is all right but there should be no discrimination because they are all part of the country.

CM Chouhan further mentioned that it is baseless to mention that NITI Ayog discriminate between states. Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Commission. All the states are equally part of the country. He said that after the formation of NITI Ayog by the union government, the share of the states in central taxes has increased. Referring to GST (Goods And Service Tax), Chouhan said that the concept that big states will be benefitted more by this is wrong. He said that GST will accelerate the pace of development.

Chouhan further stated that once Madhya Pradesh was a Bimaru (Sick) state, now the situation is changed and the state is progressing rapidly in all the sectors whether it is agriculture or industrial sector. He said that agriculture growth rate of Madhya Pradesh is more than 20 percent, which is a record.

CM Chouhan on the decision of demonetization of the union government said that if union government takes any decision for the welfare of the country than it is not wrong. He informed that the union government and the R.B.I. have taken demonetization decision in the interest of the country and people did not face any problem. CM Chouhan dismissed the allegation of the Chief Minister of West Bengal Smt. Mamta Bannerjee that union government takes decision against any state. He said that the union government takes decisions related to R.B.I. and Defense sector for the betterment of the country, which should be welcomed. He further said that after the formation of union government in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi several initiative for better relations between center and states have been taken. He said that these initiatives are becoming fruitful.

During the discussions, Devendra Fadnavis and Smt. Mahbooba Mufti also accepted that the present union government is trying to strengthen relations between center-states.-WTN