NITI Aayog: Composition, Objectives & Key Initiatives

• Context (HT): On 1^st January 2025, NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) completed a decade since its establishment on 1st January 2015.

About NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog is a non-constitutional, non-statutory body, established in 2015 by an executive Resolution to replace the Plainning Commission.

Composition

• Chairperson: Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio chairman.
• Vice-Chairperson: Appointed by the Prime Minister.
• Ex-Officio Members: Up to four members nominated by the Prime Minister from the Union Council of Ministers.
• Chief Executive Officer: Appointed by Prime Minister for a fixed tenure. CEO has the rank of Secretary to GoI.
• Full-Time Members: Experts in the domains of economics, science, and other disciplines.
• Special Invitees: Experts, specialists, and practitioners from various fields.
• Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all states and Lt. Governors of Union Territories.
• Regional Council: Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors. Chaired by Prime Minister or his nominee.

Objectives

• Foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States.
• Develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these at higher levels.
• Design strategic and long-term policy and programme frameworks and initiatives, and monitor their progress and their efficacy.

Seven pillars of NITI Aayog

Key Initiatives of NITI Aayog

• Lifestyle For Environment (LiFE): Announced in COP-26 of UNFCCC to bring individual behaviours to create a circular economy.
• National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP): Improves access to Indian government data.
• Methanol Economy programme: To reduce India’s oil import bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and convert coal reserves and municipal solid waste into methanol.
• Women Entrepreneurship Platform: To motivate, support and provide knowledge to women in setting up and scaling up businesses.
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Promotes a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across India.
• National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan): Comprehensive strategy to tackle malnutrition.
• Aspirational District Programme: To ensure speedy development of under-development districts.
• Digital India: To bridge the digital divide and ensure government services available to all.