Today'sPaper

NITIAayogisnewpolicybody
PujaMehra
PMModitoheadpanelthatwillgivestrategicadvice

OnNewYearsDay,theModigovernmentsetupNITIAayog(NationalInstitutionforTransformingIndia)inplaceof
thePlanningCommission.ThePrimeMinisterwillheadthenewinstitutiontaskedwiththeroleofformulatingpolicies
anddirectionforthegovernment.ItsgoverningcouncilwillcomprisetheChiefMinistersandtheLieutenant
GovernorsofUnionTerritories.
ThePrimeMinisterwillappointtheAayogsViceChairpersonandChiefExecutiveOfficer.AsianDevelopmentBanks
formerChiefEconomistArvindPanagariyaistippedtobethefirstViceChairperson.
ThegovernmentplanstoadoptaBharatiyaapproachtodevelopment,saystheresolutionoftheUnionCabinetfor
settinguptheAayog.Indianeedsanadministrationparadigminwhichthegovernmentisanenablerratherthana
provideroffirstandlastresort,itsays.
TheAayogwillrecommendanationalagenda,includingstrategicandtechnicaladviceonelementsofpolicyand
economicmatters.Itwillalsodevelopmechanismsforvillagelevelplansandaggregatetheseprogressivelyathigher
levelsofgovernment.
Theinstitutionsofgovernanceandpolicyhavetoadapttonewchallengesandmustbebuiltonthefoundingprinciples
oftheConstitution,theresolutionsays.Ontheplanningprocess,itsaysthatthereisaneedtoseparatetheprocess
fromthestrategyofgovernance.
TransformingIndia,itfurthersays,willinvolvechangesoftwotypesconsequencesofmarketforcesandthosethat
wouldbeplanned.Thematuringofourinstitutionsandpolityalsoentailsadiminishedroleforcentralisedplanning,
whichitselfneedstoberedefined.
Astateoftheartresourcecentreforgoodgovernancepracticesisalsoproposed.
ThePlanningCommissionwassetupinMarch1950throughaCabinetResolution,whichtheModigovernment
scrappedinAugust2014.