NITI governing council to meet, discuss vaccine management in states

Amid Covid-19 vaccination drive, the NITI Aayog may soon call the next meeting of its governing council to discuss the issue of vaccine management in states, it is leant.

Sources said the thinktank has suggested a tentative six-point agenda for the meeting, for which a date has not been finalized yet.

The meeting comes in the middle of a massive, nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired a meeting with chief ministers and administrators of all states and Union Territories to review the status and preparedness for Covid-19 vaccination, days before the national roll-out of the drive from January 16.

The council is chaired by the Prime Minister. Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors are its members. The council last met on June 15, 2019, soon after Modi returned to power. In the next meeting, the council is also expected to discuss the status of the global and Indian economy and the impact of Covid, sources said. Besides, issues related to water management, including “inter-river linkages”, are also expected to be discussed, it is learnt.

Issues related to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission and Atmanirbhar Bharat are also on the tentative agenda, sources said.