What is it?
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog or NITI Aayog Governing Council is the highest decision-making body of the Aayog. It is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and comprises Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, Lt Governors of other Union Territories, Union Ministers as ex-officio Members, and the Vice Chairman and Members of NITI Aayog.
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is the premier body trusted with developing a shared vision of national priorities and strategies with the active involvement of States and Union Territories. It is a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues.
History
The Governing Council was constituted on 16 February 2015, when NITI Aayog was established as a replacement for the Planning Commission, with an emphasis on the ‘Bottom –Up’ approach and ‘Cooperative Federalism’. The first meeting of the Governing Council was held on 9 June 2015. The Governing Council meets periodically to review the progress of NITI Aayog’s initiatives and to deliberate on various national issues.
Purpose
The purpose of the Governing Council is to provide strategic direction and guidance to NITI Aayog. The Council is responsible for approving the Aayog’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives. It also reviews the Aayog’s performance and provides feedback on its work.
Agenda
The agenda of the Governing Council meeting held on 27 May 2023 includes the following:
- Discussion on the theme of “Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India”
- Discussion on the eight prominent themes discussed during the day-long meeting, including Viksit Bharat@2047, Thrust on MSMEs, Infrastructure and Investments, Minimising Compliances, Women Empowerment, Health and Nutrition, Skill Development, and Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure
- Deliberation on issues related to health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development, with an aim to make India a developed nation by 2047
- Preparation of a roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047 in which the Centre and States can work together as Team India
- Strengthening Centre-State cooperation and forging partnerships for achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047
The Theme
The theme of the Governing Council meeting on 27 May 2023 is “Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India“. The theme reflects the Aayog’s vision of India as a developed nation by 2047. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the Centre and States to work together to achieve this vision.
The Vision
The vision of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog is to make India a developed nation by 2047. The Council believes that India can achieve this goal through a combination of economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability.
Goal
The goal of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog is to provide strategic direction and guidance to NITI Aayog in achieving its vision of making India a developed nation by 2047. The Council will do this by approving the Aayog’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives; reviewing the Aayog’s performance; and providing feedback on its work.
Attendees
The following are expected to attend the Governing Council meeting on 27 May 2023:
- Prime Minister of India
- Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories
- Lt Governors of other Union Territories
- Union Ministers as ex-officio Members
- Vice Chairman and Members of NITI Aayog
Who will attend the meeting and who will not?
The 8th meeting will see the participation of Chief Ministers/Lt Governors of all States and Union Territories, Union Ministers as ex-officio Members, and the Vice Chairman and Members of NITI Aayog. However, some Chief Ministers such as Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala and Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan have decided to skip the meeting due to various reasons.
Other Chief Ministers such as Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi, Bhagwant Mann of Punjab, K Chandrashekhar Rao of Telangana, Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal and Nitish Kumar of Bihar are also expected to be absent from the meeting.
8th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting
How does the meeting relate to India’s G20 Presidency and global leadership?
The meeting is being held in the backdrop of India’s G20 Presidency. India’s G20 motto ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ conveys its civilizational values and its vision of the role of each country in creating the future of our planet. The emerging world has immense hopes for India’s ability to provide values-based leadership and its capacity to deliver development at scale. The Centre and States have played a significant role in achieving this distinctive development trajectory.
(Source: Press Information Bureau)
