Bhagwant Mann to boycott NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi tomorrow over Centre's 'discrimination'.

In a note, Mann has said that since the interests of the people of Punjab are not being taken care of by the central government it was no use attending the meeting.

Chandigarh:Soon after the Opposition parties' call to boycott the new Parliament building inauguration, the chief ministers of many non-BJP states are likely to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting at New Delhi tomorrow. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann is set to boycott the meeting over Centre's alleged discrimination towards the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over NITI Aayog's eighth governing council meeting on May 27. Mann's decision of skipping the meeting is in protest against the central government for allegedly withholding funds meant for Punjab. Mann had initially decided to attend it and raise the issue before the Centre. However, he has decided to boycott it in the wake of the ongoing tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAM) and the Centre.

Among the various heads on which funds have been denied to Punjab government include Rural Development Fund (RFD), fiscal incentives for MSMEs, farmers' incentives for not burning crop stubble and others. With the state suffering due to denial of central funds, the government is now contemplating to opt for legal recourse.

Mann had attended the last NITI Aayog meeting in August 2022 and raised the issues relating to pending central dues. But, none have been addressed till now. In a note, Mann has said that since the interests of the people of Punjab are not being taken care of by the central government it was no use attending the meeting.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has already informed that he will not participate at the NITI Aayog meeting. Two days back, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee decided not to attend the meeting this time. Banerjee, who has skipped several such meetings in the past, has often alleged that she is made to sit for hours without being given any chance to speak.

Chief Ministers of several Opposition-led states are also likely to skip the meeting. Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel, Himachal Pradesh's Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka's Siddaramaiah, Telangana's K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot may not attend the meeting.

This time, the NITI Aayog meeting will mainly focus on issues including health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development with the aim of turning India into a developed country by 2047. Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories and Union Ministers will participate in this meeting.