Question

Write a short note on Niti Aayog.

Hint:

The key difference to remember is: Planning Commission had a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach with financial powers. NITI Aayog has a bottom-up, cooperative, and advisory approach without financial powers.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
NITI Aayog is the premier policy 'Think Tank' of the Government of India, established to provide strategic and technical advice to the Central and State Governments.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Full Form and Establishment: NITI Aayog stands for the National Institution for Transforming India. It was established on January 1, 2015, replacing the 65-year-old Planning Commission.
Structure and Role: The Prime Minister of India is the Chairperson of NITI Aayog. Unlike the Planning Commission, which followed a centralized, top-down approach and had the power to allocate funds, NITI Aayog is primarily an advisory body.
Key Objectives: Its core objective is to foster 'Cooperative Federalism' by involving states in the economic policy-making process through a bottom-up approach. It aims to design strategic and long-term policies and programmes for the Government of India, and also provide technical advice. It acts as a knowledge and innovation hub, promoting research and best practices in governance.
Step 3: Final Answer:
NITI Aayog is the Government of India's policy think tank that replaced the Planning Commission in 2015. It functions as an advisory body to promote cooperative federalism and design strategic policies, shifting from the centralized planning model of its predecessor.