AGARTALA, May 25 (TIWN): Chief Minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb attended the 13th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council chaired by the Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh in New Delhi today.

CM imparted several key inputs and gave suggestions on report of the Punchhi Commission during the discussions in the said meeting.

Speaking on the issue of 'Environment, Ecology and Climate change',  Biplab Kumar Deb stated that both Central and State Governments are equally responsible for the conservation and protection of environment & hence this subject must be kept in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution instead of the Union List.

Biplab Deb expressed his unwavering commitment towards 'upliftment of the poorest of the poor' in the society by improving their socioeconomic conditions. This shall in turn help in the fulfilment of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay's vision of 'Antyodaya'.

Chief Minister of Tripura further stated that the recommendation of Punchhi Commission with regards to the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) is a welcome step and shall enhance the role of private entities in playing a more meaningful role in meeting the aspirations of the people of the country. On the subject of 'compensation of forest cover', Biplab Deb stated that for forest rich states like Tripura, there is comparatively lesser land availability for undertaking developmental activities such as agriculture and industrial activity.

Hence, he asserted the fact that states with large forest cover such as Tripura must be adequately compensated for their efforts to maintain and enhance forest cover in their state. He also stated that the 15th Finance Commission must give adequate weightage to this factor while determining devolution formula of Central Funds to the states.

 On the subject of 'delivering sushasan (good governance)' to the citizens, the Chief Minister of Tripura expressed total commitment of his Government to delivering sushasan to the citizens of Tripura.

He further added that his Government has made the mantra espoused by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' as their underlying philosophy and all their efforts are directed towards fulfilling the Chief Minister's (CM) vision of 'Transforming Tripura'.

This meeting was also attended by Union Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs, Railways and Mines, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Social Justice & Development, Thawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Road Transport, Shipping and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, & Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. Several Ministers representing various states of the country were also present during the meeting.