Centre Reconstitutes NITI Aayog

Context

The government has restructured the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), increasing the number of special invitees from five to eleven.

Details

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues as the Chairperson, and economist Suman K. Bery remains the Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog. Although the top positions are unchanged, several new ministers from the newly formed government have been appointed as ex-officio members or special invitees.

About NITI Aayog

• Formation: NITI Aayog was established in 2015 by a resolution of the Union cabinet, replacing the Planning Commission, which was created in 1950.
• Governing Council: The Governing Council includes:
• Prime Minister
• Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories with legislatures
• Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories
• Ex-Officio Members
• Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog
• Full-Time Members, NITI Aayog
• Special Invitees
• Functions: NITI Aayog acts as a policy think tank for the Indian government. It provides inputs on various programs and policies, advises the central and state governments, and plays a key role in designing long-term strategies and programs.

Promoting Cooperative Federalism

• Cooperative Federalism: The Governing Council of NITI Aayog promotes cooperative federalism by providing a platform to discuss federal issues and accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda.
• Competitive Federalism: NITI Aayog encourages competitive federalism by facilitating improved performance of States and Union Territories. It promotes healthy competition through transparent rankings and a supportive approach. Some indices launched by NITI Aayog include:
• School Education Quality Index
• State Health Index
• Composite Water Management Index
• Sustainable Development Goals Index
• India Innovation Index
• Export Competitiveness Index
• Aspirational Districts: NITI Aayog also releases monthly delta rankings for the performance of Aspirational Districts, encouraging states and districts to enhance their performance in various social sectors based on quantitative criteria.

By restructuring NITI Aayog and increasing the number of special invitees, the government aims to ensure better representation and more effective policy-making, thereby strengthening the institution's role in driving India's development agenda.