NITI Aayog
Economics · नीति आयोग
📋Quick Overview
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) replaced the Planning Commission on 1 January 2015. It was established by a Cabinet Resolution (like its predecessor — non-constitutional, non-statutory). NITI Aayog serves as a policy think-tank for the Government of India, promoting cooperative and competitive federalism. Unlike the Planning Commission, it does NOT have the power to allocate funds to states and ministries.
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NITI = National Institution for Transforming India. Full form is important for exams!
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NITI Aayog has NO power to allocate funds — this is the KEY difference from Planning Commission
📖Structure of NITI Aayog
| Position | Who | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Chairperson | Prime Minister | Ex-officio (same as Planning Commission) |
| Vice-Chairperson | Appointed by PM | Equivalent to Cabinet Minister rank. First: Arvind Panagariya (2015-17). Check current appointee. |
| CEO | Appointed by PM | Secretary rank. Manages day-to-day operations. Check current appointee. |
| Governing Council | All Chief Ministers + LG of UTs | Apex body — meets at least once a year. Promotes cooperative federalism |
| Regional Councils | CMs of specific region | Formed by PM for specific tenure to address regional issues |
| Full-Time Members | Experts | Equivalent to Minister of State rank |
| Ex-Officio Members | Max 4 Union Ministers | Nominated by PM |
| Special Invitees | Experts | Nominated by PM for specific purposes |
📖Planning Commission vs NITI Aayog
📝Key Initiatives of NITI Aayog
- •Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) — targets 112 most backward districts across India for rapid transformation
- •Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) — promotes innovation & entrepreneurship. Atal Tinkering Labs in schools
- •SDG India Index — ranks states on Sustainable Development Goals achievement
- •NITI for States Platform — knowledge sharing portal for cooperative federalism
- •Composite Water Management Index — ranks states on water management performance
- •Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) — India's national MPI report first released in 2021