NITI Aayog's Lahiri: West Bengal lags behind, Mamata failed on promises

New NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri claims West Bengal lags behind advanced states, criticizing CM Mamata Banerjee for failing to deliver on development promises ahead of upcoming political contests.

Newly appointed Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Ashok Lahiri, on Saturday claimed that West Bengal is lagging behind more industrially advanced states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Taking aim at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Lahiri said that despite promises of development and change, the state government has struggled to deliver on its commitments, raising questions about West Bengal's growth trajectory ahead of upcoming political contests.

"No one would disagree with the fact that West Bengal is lagging relatively from advanced states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat...West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee talked about bringing change (development), which she is unable to do so...Let's see if there will be a change in West Bengal," he told ANI.

Lahiri on 'Viksit Bharat' and Policy Making

Lahiri also said he will work towards fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, emphasising the importance of sound policy-making and effective implementation. "I met PM Modi after being appointed as the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog...It is PM Modi's dream to make the nation a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047...To fulfil this vision, we need to ensure that proper policies are framed...I give credit to the earlier education policies of West Bengal, which played a big role in my appointment as the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog...This is a big respect to the state of West Bengal," Lahiri told ANI in an exclusive interaction.

Commenting on the ongoing Israel-Iran war, Lahiri expressed hope for an early resolution while stressing the importance of intent and implementation in policymaking. "...We are hopeful that the war will end as early as possible...The implementation of the policies is very important, and the intention has to be very pure, and we need to have trust in our steps...I am very happy as PM Modi has reposed a lot of trust in me, I will try to live up to the expectations..." he added.

New Role at NITI Aayog

Lahiri, who was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the government's apex policy think tank on Friday, held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, signalling the beginning of his tenure at a time when India is navigating a complex global economic environment. While details of the meeting were not officially disclosed, the interaction assumes significance as NITI Aayog plays a key role in shaping India's economic policy framework and driving reforms across sectors.

The new Niti Aayog team includes two eminent experts hailing from West Bengal, senior economist Dr Ashok Lahiri as Vice Chairperson, and Scientist Dr Gobardhan Das as Member. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)