NITI AAYOG: INDIA'S POLICY THINK TANK
- 1. NITI AAYOG: INDIA’S POLICY THINK TANK An Overview of Structure, Functions, and Initiatives
- 2. INTRODUCTION - National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) is India’s policy think tank. - Established on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission. - Aims to promote cooperative federalism and sustainable development.
- 3. OBJECTIVES OF NITI AAYOG - Foster cooperative federalism between Centre and States. - Develop long-term strategic policies for economic growth. - Encourage innovation and sustainable development. - Improve governance and performance monitoring of schemes. - Act as a knowledge hub for policy research and development.
- 4. STRUCTURE OF NITI AAYOG - Chairperson: Prime Minister of India. - Vice-Chairperson: Appointed by the PM. - Governing Council: Chief Ministers & Lt. Governors. - Full-time Members: Experts and economists. - CEO: Appointed by the government.
- 5. KEY FUNCTIONS OF NITI AAYOG - Policy formulation and strategic planning. - Monitoring & evaluation of government programs. - Fostering innovation through Atal Innovation Mission. - Data analytics for evidence-based policymaking. - Sustainable development and climate action.
- 6. KEY INITIATIVES OF NITI AAYOG - Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) – Encouraging entrepreneurship. - Aspirational Districts Programme – Improving socio-economic indicators. - Health Initiatives – National Nutrition Mission, Health Index. - Digital India & AI Policy – Promoting technology-driven growth. - SDG India Index – Monitoring India's progress.
- 7. NITI AAYOG VS PLANNING COMMISSION - NITI Aayog follows a bottom-up approach, while the Planning Commission was top-down. - NITI Aayog is an advisory body; the Planning Commission allocated funds. - Focus on policy think tank & real-time data- driven policies. - Encourages state participation and innovation.
- 8. CHALLENGES & CRITICISM - Lack of financial powers compared to Planning Commission. - Implementation bottlenecks in some initiatives. - Need for stronger coordination between Centre & States. - Over-reliance on an advisory role with limited executive power.
- 9. FUTURE OUTLOOK - Strengthening cooperative federalism through deeper state involvement. - Greater focus on technology-driven governance (AI, Big Data). - Enhanced private sector participation in policy formulation. - Expanding India’s role in global policy dialogues on climate & economy.
- 10. CONCLUSION - NITI Aayog has transformed India’s policy landscape with a data-driven, evidence-based approach. - Plays a critical role in India’s economic and social development. - Future success depends on stronger implementation, state collaboration, and policy innovation.