A sub-panel of the NITI Aayog comprising chief ministers of various states decided on Friday to constitute a working group to suggest ways to make the centrally sponsored schemes (CSSs) more result oriented. The panel headed by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been constituted to recommend a funding pattern of CSSs as the states’ share in central taxes has been increased to 42 per cent from 32 per cent following the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission. The sub-group has also been tasked with exploring ways for inducing flexibility in some such schemes. The meeting is learnt to have opposed the practice of the Union government imposing some schemes on the states, which add to their financial burden. [related-post] The working group to be headed by Niti Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar has been asked to prepare a draft report on the suggestions extended by chief ministers. Chouhan is also likely to meet senior officials of concerned union ministries next month to apprise himself on their experience in execution of various schemes. The report to be prepared by the working group would be taken up for discussion during the next meeting of the panel on April 27.
