NITI AAYOG

NITI AAYOG

NITI Aayog which is National Institute for Transforming India which is a think tank or forum with states having bigger role in National development.

• It will include political heads (Chief Ministers) of 29 states.
• Lieutenant Governors of Union territories
• Prime Minister will be the Chairman, 
• A full time Vice-chairman, who will be the de facto executive head
• There will be a CEO and experts from various fields
• Four Cabinet ministers will be ex-officio members. Finance minister will be one among them.
• Some part time members will also be there.

Difference with Planning Commission

• State governments did not have participation in Planning Commission. So NITI aayog is more federal in its approach, having shared vision of national development priorities and fosters cooperative federalism, recognizing that strong states make strong nation
•  Planning Commission was having TOP-DOWN approach. Which means that policies were made at the national level. But in NITI Aayog plans will be made at the village level and aggregated at the higher levels of government. This will ensure specific attention to all sections of society.
• NITI aayog will provide a platform for resolving the interdepartmental and intrasectoral differences, which was not possible in Planning Commission.
• The planning commission used the approach of one formula fits for all. But in NITI aayog the plans will be made at grass root levels, so region specific plans will be made according to the needs of the region.
• Unlike the Planning Commission, NITI Aayog will not have the powers to allocate the funds.

Criticism:

Many scholars are of the view that NITI aayog is just a political move to replace a body of Nehruvian era. NITI aayog is nothing but an old thing in a new package. National Development Council is having the same composition, so what is the need of NITI Aayog.

Whatever may be the criticism, but the main thing is to be noted is that NITI aayog is more Federal, Region specific and a Decentralized approach.

+NITI Aayog
+PMO India