New Delhi, July 17, 2024 — The central government has undertaken a significant reorganization of NITI Aayog, incorporating 15 Union Ministers, including those from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, and four full-time members into the government’s premier think tank. This move comes in the wake of recent changes in the council of ministers, aiming to bolster the policy-making body with diverse perspectives and regional representation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue as the chairperson of NITI Aayog, while economist Suman K Bery remains the vice-chairperson, according to an official notification. The four full-time members who will continue their roles include scientist VK Saraswat, agricultural economist Ramesh Chand, paediatrician VK Paul, and macroeconomist Arvind Virmani.
The reconstitution also maintains four ex-officio members: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The revised composition has been approved by Prime Minister Modi.
Special Invitees Bring Fresh Perspectives
The reconstituted NITI Aayog will feature several Union Ministers as special invitees, enhancing the breadth of expertise within the think tank. These special invitees include:
- Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways)
- Jagat Prakash Nadda (Health)
- HD Kumaraswamy (Heavy Industries and Steel)
- Jitan Ram Manjhi (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises)
- Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying)
Other notable special invitees are:
- Virendra Kumar (Social Justice and Empowerment)
- Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation)
- Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs)
- Annpurna Devi (Women and Child Development)
- Chirag Paswan (Food Processing Industries)
- Rao Inderjit Singh (Statistics and Programme Implementation)
Strengthening NDA Representation
The inclusion of ministers from NDA allies underscores the government’s commitment to a collaborative approach in policy formulation. Kumaraswamy represents the Janata Dal (Secular), Manjhi hails from Hindustani Awam Morcha, Rajiv Ranjan Singh is from Janata Dal (United), Naidu is associated with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Paswan represents the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
This reorganization marks a departure from the previous composition where Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was an ex-officio member, and Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnaw were special invitees. However, this time, new faces from NDA allies have been inducted, while Vaishnaw continues to manage the railways portfolio.
Evolution of NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog, or the National Institution for Transforming India, was established in 2015, replacing the 65-year-old Planning Commission. The think tank plays a crucial role in shaping policy and fostering cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms.
The reconstitution of NITI Aayog aims to leverage the diverse experiences and insights of its new members to drive India’s development agenda forward, ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth across all sectors.
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