In News: Prime Minister announced the 7th meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council.
This was the first physical meeting of the Governing Council since the onset of the pandemic, with the 2021 meeting held via video conferencing.
Meeting was attended by 23 Chief Ministers, three Lieutenant Governors and two Administrators, and Union Ministers.
Addressing the meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council, the Prime Minister said that during the pandemic every State played a crucial role by focussing on the grassroots delivery of public services through cooperation across political lines.
In that process, India emerged as an example for the developing nations to look up to as a global leader.
Four key issues
This year, the Governing Council discussed four key issues:
Crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in pulses, oilseeds and other agri-commodities;
Implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in school education;
Implementation of the NEP in higher education; and
Urban governance
Describing India’s G20 presidency in 2023 as a unique opportunity to show to the world that India was not just confined to Delhi, but included every State and Union Territory, PM called for a mass movement for identification of the best talent available in the country.
During the meeting, a key demand from the States was to make the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for pulses and oil seeds more effective.
NITI Aayog
The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of Union Cabinet on Jan 1, 2015 and it replaced the Planning Commission.
NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of GoI to bring states to act together in national interest, and therby foster Cooperative federalism.
Composition
Chairperson: Prime Minister
Vice-Chairperson: To be appointed by Prime-Minister
Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all states and Lt. Governors of Union Territories.
Regional Council: To address specific regional issues, Comprising Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors Chaired by Prime Minister or his nominee.
Adhoc Membership: 2 members in ex-officio capacity from leading Research institutions on rotational basis.
Ex-Officio membership: Maximum four from Union council of ministers to be nominated by Prime minister.
Chief Executive Officer: Appointed by Prime-minister for a fixed tenure, in rank of Secretary to Government of India.
Special Invitees: Experts, Specialists with domain knowledge nominated by Prime-minister.
Hubs of NITI Aayog
Team IndiaHub acts as interface between States and Centre.
Knowledge and Innovation Hub builds the think-tank acumen of NITI Aayog.
The Aayog planned to come out with three documents — 3-year action agenda, 7-year medium-term strategy paper and 15-year vision document.
