PM Narendra Modi asks BJP-ruled states to boost business environment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a marathon meeting with chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, and asked them to ensure saturation-level coverage of welfare schemes and boost the business environment in the country.

The meeting, which lasted for over four hours, was attended by chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of 18 states. BJP president J P Nadda was also present.

During the meeting, Modi emphasised on better implementation of some key schemes and initiatives of the government such as GatiShakti, Har Ghar Jal, Svamitva, DBT implementation and others, the BJP said in a statement.

"Prime Minister Modi stressed on the need to ensure saturation-level coverage of all key schemes and said that BJP-ruled states should take a lead towards this," the it read.

Emphasising on the need to ensure ease of doing business, Modi spoke about several initiatives taken by his government.

"He encouraged the states to take steps towards further boosting the business environment in the country," the party statement said.

Modi also asked the chief ministers to ensure that their states accord due importance to sports and ensure availability of the best facilities to encourage participation and engagement of youngsters in large numbers.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and Vinay Sahsrabuddhe, who heads the party's good governance cell, were also present in the meeting.

The chief ministers and the deputy chief ministers of 18 states where the BJP is in power on its own or in alliance with other parties held deliberations on achieving a 100 per cent target of all centrally sponsored welfare schemes and flagship programmes, sources said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are among those who attended the meeting.

Nagaland Chief Minister Nephio Rio, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha are also present.

Several deputy chief ministers including Maharashtra's Devendra Fadnavis and Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi from Bihar attended the meeting.