NITI Aayog restructured with new full-time members and 15 Union Ministers

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has undergone a significant restructuring, with the Narendra Modi-led government appointing 15 union ministers, including those from BJP allies, as part of the think-tank.

This overhaul aims to enhance the organization's strategic capabilities and policy-making prowess.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to chair NITI Aayog, while economist Suman K. Bery retains his role as vice-chairperson, as per an official announcement.

The body also retains its four full-time members: scientist V.K. Saraswat, agricultural economist Ramesh Chand, pediatrician V.K. Paul, and macro-economist Arvind Virmani.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh (Defence), Amit Shah (Home), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture), and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance) have been appointed as ex-officio members.

Their inclusion is expected to bring a wealth of experience and insight into the policy-making process.

The special invitees to the newly reconstituted NITI Aayog include Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways), Jagat Prakash Nadda (Health), and H.D. Kumaraswamy (Heavy Industries and Steel), among others.

These invitees will play crucial roles in advising on sector-specific policies and initiatives.

Additional special invitees include Jitan Ram Manjhi (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying), Virendra Kumar (Social Justice and Empowerment), Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation), Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs), Annpurna Devi (Women and Child Development), Chirag Paswan (Food Processing Industries), and Rao Inderjit Singh (Statistics and Programme Implementation).

The presence of allies such as Kumaraswamy from JD-S, Manjhi from Hindustani Awam Morcha, Rajiv Ranjan Singh from JD-U, Naidu from TDP, and Paswan from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) underscores the collaborative approach of the current administration in driving national transformation.

NITI Aayog, established in 2015 to replace the 65-year-old Planning Commission, continues its mission to foster inclusive growth and innovation. In a recent social media post, the organization highlighted its commitment to transformative initiatives aimed at reshaping India's future.