Niti Aayog will do justice to smaller states: Goa minister

Panaji, Jan 7 (IANS) The newly formed Niti Aayog, which has replaced the Planning Commission of the Nehruvian-era, may come as a blessing in disguise for smaller states, according to Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza.

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of a media event in Panaji late Tuesday, D'Souza said that the Planning Commission had been conditioned for bigger states and that smaller states rarely got a fair share of the central revenue under its aegis.

"We will stand a better chance (now)...," D'Souza said.

Shortly after taking over as the state's new chief minister, Laxmikant Parsekar in December had also criticised the Gadgil-Mukherjee formula, a method of calculating states' share of revenue disbursed by the Planning Commission, claiming it was unfair to small and developed States like Goa.

D'Souza now hopes the newly formed Niti Aayog would do justice to Goa in financial terms.

"I feel that the Niti Aayog may be a better option for smaller States... The Planning Commission was a big exercise which catered to the big needs, honestly of the bigger states," he said.

Headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Princeton-educated Arvind Panagariya, 62, will serve as the first deputy chairman of the Niti Aayog.