Arvind Panagariya assumes charge of NITI Aayog vice-chairman

Govt had announced the appointment of vice-chairman, two full-time members, four ex-officio members and three special invitees for the Aayog on January 5

Pro-reform economist Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday took charge as the first vice-chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, which has replaced the decades-old Planning Commission.

He was briefed about the newly created institution by Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar and other senior officials.

The government announced the appointment of vice-chairman, two full-time members, four ex-officio members (Union ministers) and three special invitees for the Aayog on January 5.

Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat were appointed full-time members. They are expected to join shortly.

Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Suresh Prabhu and Radha Mohan Singh will be ex-officio members.Their colleagues Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani and Thawar Chand Gehlot would be special invitees.

The government had notified the Cabinet resolution on January 7 regarding constitution of the NITI Aayog, approved by the prime minister on January 1. The 62-year-old Panagariya is a professor of Economics at Columbia University.

The earlier Planning Commission had a deputy chairperson at the helm, with the prime minister as its chairperson. The prime minister will be the chairperson of the current body, too.

Panagariya is known for his market-friendly views and is a protege of well-known trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati. Together with his mentor, he contested Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on prioritising wealth distribution over economic growth.