Punjab's Agriculture and Rural Development minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal gave directions to appoint two IAS officers each from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as Nodal Officers to coordinate with NITI Aayog to avail the benefits of central schemes.
Following a meeting with Niti Ayog member Ramesh Chand here today, Mr Dhaliwal said that NITI Aayog members will visit Punjab to discuss the schemes of the Rural Development Department and give their inputs on how to get maximum benefit from the central schemes.
He sought the cooperation and support of the NITI Aayog to save the agriculture of Punjab. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that only with the joint efforts of the centre and the state, the benefit of the central schemes could be provided to the beneficiaries at the grass root.
Sharing his views on this occasion, member of NITI Aayog Prof. Ramesh Chand said that NITI Aayog is created to help the states for better implementation of schemes. He said that NITI Aayog provides all possible help to the states in taking advantage of central schemes without any discrimination.
Prof. Ramesh said that the bureaucracy of the states should be made accountable for taking advantage of the central schemes so that the states utilise all the central schemes properly. He said that there is no need for the states to make requests to anyone for taking benefits of central schemes but it is their right, the only requirement is to send the proposals properly so that they can be passed without any hindrance.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal thanked NITI Aayog member Prof. Ramesh Chand for his visit to his office and expressed hope that NITI Aayog will provide full support for the development of Punjab.