Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi. The meeting focused on entrepreneurship, skill enhancement, and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the country — key pillars of India’s economic transformation agenda.
Why in News?
PM Modi chaired the 11th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting, bringing together Chief Ministers of all states and UTs in a platform of cooperative federalism. The agenda centred on promoting entrepreneurship, skilling, and sustainable employment — critical areas for India’s demographic dividend.
Key Facts for Prelims: NITI Aayog
- Full form: National Institution for Transforming India
- Nature: Neither constitutional nor statutory — created by an executive (Union Cabinet) resolution
- Established: January 1, 2015
- Replaced: The Planning Commission (which had functioned for 65 years since 1950)
- Key Shift: From Planning Commission’s rigid top-down approach → NITI Aayog’s bottom-up cooperative model giving states a direct voice
- Promotes: Cooperative federalism, competitive federalism among states
Composition of NITI Aayog Governing Council
- Chairperson: Prime Minister of India
- Vice-Chairperson: Dr. Suman Bery
- CEO: B.V.R. Subrahmanyam
- Full-time Members: Prof. Ramesh Chand, Dr. V.K. Paul, Shri V.K. Saraswat, Dr. Arvind Virmani
- Special Invitees: Cabinet Ministers nominated by PM
- Governing Council includes: Chief Ministers of all 28 states, Chief Ministers of UTs with legislatures (Delhi, Puducherry, J&K), and Lieutenant Governors of UTs without legislatures
Static/Exam Links: NITI Aayog vs Planning Commission
| Aspect | Planning Commission | NITI Aayog |
|---|---|---|
| Established | 1950 (executive resolution) | 2015 (executive resolution) |
| Approach | Top-down, centralised | Bottom-up, cooperative |
| Nature | Non-constitutional, non-statutory | Non-constitutional, non-statutory |
| Fund Allocation | Had power to allocate funds to states | No fund allocation power |
| State Role | States were consulted minimally | States are equal partners (Governing Council) |
| Focus | Five-Year Plans | 15-year vision, 7-year strategy, 3-year action plan |
Key NITI Aayog Initiatives (Exam-relevant)
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Promotes innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem
- Aspirational Districts Programme: Transforms under-developed districts across India
- SATH (Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital): Education and health sector reform with states
- SDG India Index: Tracks India’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals
Quick Revision Table
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Meeting | 11th Governing Council Meeting |
| Chaired by | PM Narendra Modi |
| Focus Areas | Entrepreneurship, skilling, employment |
| NITI Aayog Established | January 1, 2015 |
| Nature | Non-constitutional, non-statutory |
| Replaced | Planning Commission (est. 1950) |
| Chairperson | Prime Minister of India |
| Vice-Chairperson | Dr. Suman Bery |
| CEO | B.V.R. Subrahmanyam |
| Governing Council | CMs of all states + UTs with legislature + LGs of UTs without legislature |
Trap / Confusing Points
| ❌ Common Trap | ✅ Correct Fact |
|---|---|
| NITI Aayog is a statutory body | NITI Aayog is neither constitutional nor statutory — created by executive (Cabinet) resolution |
| Planning Commission was a statutory body | Planning Commission was also non-statutory — both created by executive orders |
| NITI Aayog allocates funds to states like Planning Commission | NITI Aayog has no fund allocation power; funds go via Finance Commission and Union Budget |
| NITI Aayog was established by Parliament | Established by Union Cabinet resolution, not by Parliament |
| All LGs attend the Governing Council | Only LGs of UTs without legislature attend; UTs with legislature send their CMs |
5 Practice MCQs
1. NITI Aayog was established on which date?
a. August 15, 2014
b. January 1, 2015
c. March 31, 2015
d. November 26, 2014
Ans: B
NITI Aayog was established on January 1, 2015 via a Union Cabinet resolution, replacing the Planning Commission which had existed since 1950.
2. What is the nature of NITI Aayog?
a. Constitutional body
b. Statutory body under an Act of Parliament
c. Non-constitutional, non-statutory executive body
d. Quasi-judicial body
Ans: C
NITI Aayog is created by an executive (Cabinet) resolution, making it neither constitutional nor statutory — same as the Planning Commission it replaced.
3. Who is the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog?
a. President of India
b. Vice-President of India
c. Prime Minister of India
d. Finance Minister of India
Ans: C
The Prime Minister of India serves as the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog, reflecting its role as the apex policy-making body for national development.
4. Which key power does NITI Aayog NOT have compared to the Planning Commission?
a. Conducting research on economic policy
b. Providing policy recommendations to states
c. Allocating funds directly to states
d. Monitoring implementation of government schemes
Ans: C
Unlike the Planning Commission, NITI Aayog has no power to allocate funds to states. This was a deliberate design choice to make it an advisory-collaborative body rather than a controlling one.
5. The Governing Council of NITI Aayog includes which of the following?
a. Chief Ministers of states only
b. Chief Ministers of states + LGs of all UTs
c. Chief Ministers of all states + CMs of UTs with legislatures + LGs of UTs without legislatures
d. Only Union Cabinet Ministers
Ans: C
The Governing Council includes CMs of all 28 states, CMs of UTs with legislatures (Delhi, Puducherry, J&K), and Lt. Governors of UTs without legislatures — making it a true federal platform.
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