NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam today affirmed India's take-off stage for rapid growth, noting that with many basic service issues resolved, and extreme poverty reduced to under 5%, the

country is poised for rapid growth. "India is now larger than Japan, with only the US, China, and Germany being larger. If we stick to current plans, we would become the third-largest

economy in another two to three years," he said during the press briefing on the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting held today.

He recalled that at the last governing council, the Prime Minister urged all states to create their state visions for a "Viksit" India (e.g., Viksit Bihar, Viksit Odisha, Viksit Madhya

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today, earlier said India should focus on "one goal" to make

Bharat Viksit by 2047. "We should have the aim of making each State Viksit, each city Viksit, each Nagar Palika Viksit and each village Viksit. If we work on these lines, we will not have to

wait till 2047 to become Viksit Bharat."

According to the NITI CEO, the message that the PM gave was that the Centre and states must work together for progress. "States are fundamental in industrial development, services,

agriculture, and human capital. Without individual state visions, it's like a bullock cart with only one bull – it won't run."

He said the Prime Minister also advocated taking the "Viksit Bharat" call to the local level, urging the removal of obsolete regulations in municipalities to create an investment-friendly

atmosphere through healthy competition among states.

He revealed that around 17 states have already prepared and released or are about to release their visions. Five have released them: Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and

Punjab. 12 more will follow by August, with Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan nearing release. He clarified the vision document is a practical, implementable document with

monitorable key performance indicators, not just a daydream.

Regarding the NITI meetings, the CEO described them as a platform for joint action and shared aspirations, representing India's highest federal body with about 15 Cabinet Ministers (besides

the PM) and all Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors. He likened its strength to "Team India" as seen in Operation Sindoor, which will enable achieving Viksit Bharat.

He noted NITI's fundamental role and contribution to coordinating development decisions nationwide, centrally and between the Centre and states. NITI has been pushing data-driven and

evaluation-based decision-making and providing hand-holding where needed at both levels, said Subrahmanyam. "NITI has been the repository of the Sustainable Development Goals, another area

NITI has pushed. This shows the depth of work NITI has done over the last 10 years."

Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery noted Prime Minister Modi's acknowledgment of these meetings' importance in building past consensus for his government's achievements in housing, health,

and sanitation, all joint efforts of the Centre and states facilitated by the governing council forum. He emphasised the meeting's clear message: it is time to accelerate, and this

acceleration must be a national movement.