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The renamed NITI Aayog building in New Delhi
Many in the newly formed body, however, down-play these fears, saying a change in the name of the Planning Commission of India and a “slight” adjustment in its role are unlikely to make any tangible change in functioning of the planning ministry. The ministry, they say, was separate from the erstwhile Planning Commission, too.
In the current set-up, the planning ministry is headed by Rao Inderjit Singh, a minister of state with independent charge, while the vice-chairman of the NITI Aayog, economist Arvind Panagariya, has a Cabinet rank. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is chairman of the Aayog will host the first full meeting of the Aayog on February 6, which is expected to be followed by the first meeting of the governing council of the Aayog comprising of chief ministers and Lt Governors on February 8.
“It is wrong to presume that creation of the NITI Aayog in place of the Planning Commission will lower the stature of the planning ministry, which functions through its administrative and parliamentary divisions — its secretariats — and not the Planning Commission as many people think,” former planning minister Yogendra Alagh told Business Standard.
Even during his term as minister, he held a minister of state rank with independent charge, he said, while the then deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Madhu Dandavate, held a Cabinet rank; both bodies worked separately.
“If the planning minister does not have an independent charge... the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission is the chairman of parliamentary committees, as well as the National Development Council (NDC),” Alagh clarified. He added the ministry of planning was also responsible for statistics and programme implementation, which was outside the Planning Commission’s domain. In fact, a few days ago, the Union government transferred all the assets, liabilities, bank balances, staff and other things of the Planning Commission to the NITI Aayog, through an order. This, some officials said, would help streamline the process of transfer.
As one of its first jobs, the Aayog is looking to undertake a major nationwide evaluation of manpower in all 36 states and Union Territories, with active participation from state governments. This will be done through one of its attached offices, the National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development (Nilerd).
Under the Planning Commission, Nilerd’s earlier avatar was called the Institute of Applied Manpower Research.
“There are wide skill gaps in each state; each has a different manpower potential, availability and shortage. We will identify those and help the government frame a comprehensive national strategy,” a senior official said.
In his first official interaction with the advisors, officials and staff of the Aayog, Panagariya had sought focus on two core areas — labour reforms and small and the medium enterprises (SMEs) sector — officials said. He is also believed to have laid stress on the need to move away from planning and concentrate more on the holistic picture.
The NITI Aayog is not expected to undertake the five-year Plan process, and has removed allocation of Plan funds from its domain.
Apart from Panagariya, the Aayog has economist Bibek Debroy and scientist V K Saraswat as two full-time members.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh are ex-officio members of the Aayog. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani are special invitees. Sindhushree Khullar, former secretary of the Planning Commission, is the Aayog’s CEO.
