NITI Aayog
The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog is a Government of India policy Think-Tank established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to replace the Planning Commission.
The stated aim for NITI Aayog's creation is to Foster Involvement and Participation in the Economic Policy-Making process by the State Governments of India.
It has adopted a 'Bottom-Up' Approach in Planning which is a remarkable contrast to the Planning Commission's tradition of 'Top-Down' Decision-Making.
THE MANDATE
THE PRESENT MEMBERS
- One of the Important Mandates of NITI Aayog is to bring Cooperative Competitive Federalism and to improve Centre State Relation.
- This is well reflected when Indian Prime Minister appointed three sub-groups of chief ministers for making recommendations in three important areas (Centrally sponsored schemes, skill development and Swachh Bharat ).
- NITI Aayog will Provide Opportunities, that the previous Planning Commission structure lacked, to represent the economic interests of the State Governments and Union Territories of India.
THE CHAIRPERSON OF NITI Aayog
- The Prime Minister is Ex-Officio Chairperson for NITI Aayog.
- The Union Government of India announced formation of NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015, and the First meeting of NITI Aayog was held on 08 February 2015.
- 'NITI Blogs', which provide public access to Articles, Field Reports and Work in Progress as well as the Published Opinions of NITI officials, are available to the public on the Aayog website.
- NITI Aayog is a group of people with authority entrusted by the government to formulate/regulate policies in social and economic issues with experts in it.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHANGED TO NITI Aayog
- In the year 1950, Planning commission was established
- In May 29, 2014 According to the first IEO (Independent Evaluation Office) assessment report which was submitted to Prime Minister Modi, Planning Commission to be replaced by 'Control Commission'
- In 1st January 2015,Cabinet resolution to replace Planning Commission by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)
- February 8, 2015: The first meeting of NITI Aayog was chaired by Narendra Modi
- The Prime Minister of India as the Chairperson.
- Governing Council comprising the Chief Ministers of all the States and Union territories with Legislatures and Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories.
- Regional Councils will be formed to address specific issues and contingencies impacting more than one state or a region. These will be formed for a specified tenure.
- The Regional Council VUO by the Prime Minister and will be composed of the Chief Ministers of States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories in the region. These will be chaired by the Chairperson of the NITI Aayog or his nominee
- Experts, specialists and practitioners with relevant domain knowledge as special invitees nominated by the Prime Minister
- Full-time organizational framework (in addition to Prime Minister as the Chairperson) comprising
- Vice-Chairperson: Arvind Panagariya
- Members: Three (3) Full-time: economist Bibek Debroy, former DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat and Agriculture Expert Professor Ramesh Chand.
- Part-time members: Maximum of two from leading universities research organizations and other relevant institutions in an ex-officio capacity. Part-time members will be on a rotational basis
- Ex Officio members: Maximum of four members of the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime Minister
- Chief Executive Officer: To be appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure, in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. Amithab Kant has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer.
- Secretariat as deemed necessary
- Chairperson: Prime Minister of India
- CEO: Amitabh Kant
- Vice Chairperson: Arvind Panagariya
- Ex-Officio Members: Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Suresh Prabhu and Radha Mohan Singh
- Special Invitees: Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Zubin Irani and Thawar Chand Gehlot
- Full-time Members: Bibek Debroy (Economist), V. K. Saraswat (former DRDO Chief) and Ramesh Chand (Agriculture Expert)
- Governing Council: All Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of States and Union Territories
THE SETU
- The Government has established a mechanism to be known as SETU (Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation) under NITI Aayog.
- SETU will be a Techno-Financial, Incubation and Facilitation Programme to support all aspects of start-up businesses, and other self-employment activities, particularly in technologydriven areas.