But here’s the twist; they got a bigger voice… without the wallet. States now sit at the table with PM and CMs in the Governing Council. They compete on health, education, innovation; rankings push them to improve. Data, best practices, even district-level planning; all flowing from NITI Aayog. But here’s what no one talks about: NITI Aayog can’t release a single rupee. No money = no real power. Recommendations? Optional. No binding force. Some opposition states even skip meetings. So yes, federalism got more consultative. More competitive. But still not more equal. The real test? Whether this ‘cooperative’ model survives when states want real financial autonomy; not just applause for good performance.