Eye on rapid development, Cabinet gives nod to MITRA on lines of NITI Aayog

It will act as a think tank providing strategic, technical and functional direction for development, the office of the chief minister (CMO) said in a statement on Thursday.

The decision comes following the meeting held with the CEO of NITI Aayog, other experts, secretaries of various administrative departments and senior officials with the chief minister and the deputy chief minister on September 18 this year.

MITRA will consist of a regulatory board headed by the chief minister and an executive board headed by the Chief Executive Officer for day-to-day operations. The deputy chief minister will be the co-chairman of the regulatory board and an expert will be appointed as vice-chairman.

It will work in coordination with various departments of the state government, Centre, Niti Aayog, civil society, various NGOs and private business organisations for the purpose of achieving the set goals of the state by 2047, the statement said.

On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Centre aims to have a “Developed India by 2047″. The government announced the goal of taking India’s economy to $5 trillion by 2025-26 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. States have been urged to set up institutions along the lines of NITI Aayog.

“The state’s aim is to take the economy of Maharashtra to one trillion dollars by 2027 and 3.5 trillion dollars by the year 2047. Maharashtra accounts for 15 per cent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP),” the CMO’s statement said.

The body will focus on industry, infrastructure, information technology, ancillary services and communication, environment, climate change, forests and wildlife conservation.

The reconstituted Statutory Development Boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and rest of Maharashtra will act as ‘Regional Mitra’ for MITRA.