Kerala, Rajasthan CMs to skip PM Modi's NITI Aayog meeting

New Delhi: Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Rajasthan's Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot won't be attending the NITI Aayog Council meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Saturday.
CM Gehlot has cited health reasons for not attending the meeting, while CM Vijayan has not given any specific reason for his absence. Other than him, Delhi's CM Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab's CM Bhagwant Mann, Telangana's CM K Chandrashekhar Rao, West Bengal's CM Mamata Banerjee and Bihar's CM Nitish Kumar are expected to skip the meeting on Saturday.
PM Modi will chair the eighth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog on Saturday on the theme of 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India' at the new Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
As the chairman of NITI Aayog, PM Modi will preside over the meeting.
PM Modi will deliberate on issues related to health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development, with an aim to make India a developed nation by 2047.
"Eight prominent themes will be discussed during the day-long Meeting including (i) Viksit Bharat@2047, (ii) Thrust on MSMEs, (iii) Infrastructure and Investments, (iv) Minimising Compliances, (v) Women Empowerment, (vi) Health and Nutrition, (vii) Skill Development, and (viii) Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure," the NITI Aayog stated.
It added, "The Meeting will see the participation of Chief Ministers/Lt Governors of all States and Union Territories, Union Ministers as ex-officio Members, and the Vice Chairman and Members of NITI Aayog". (ANI)