NITI Aayog's purpose is still unclear

NITI Aayog's purpose is still unclear: It is unfortunate that the political leadership has not adequately empowered it

My VIEW:

February 13, 2016
NITI Aayog

This refers to your editorial on “Institutional Reform” with focus on  NITI Aayog
(Business Standard, February 12). When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15, 2014 that the Planning Commission needed a total revamp to meet the present day needs of India, he was telling the obvious. The steps Modi Govt initiated in this regard were realistic. Before coming to conclusions on the success of these initiatives, let us concede that India can ill-afford an inefficient NITI Aayog at this stage of development.
We are living at a time when even the Supreme Court is making a plea that  partisan federalism should end. In the federal structure, a non-controversial and professional NITI Aayog can play a vital proactive role in ensuring distributive justice in regard to nation’s resources.
The current decade is witnessing a peculiar situation in Indian political system in regard to hierarchical issues from the role of the President to running of local self-government bodies. Several issues which can have only political solution through democratic processes are getting referred to judiciary for decision. Ideally, apex level institutions like NITI Aayog should be allowed to function professionally with some amount of functional autonomy so that states will have trust in the decisions taken or guidance provided by them.

M G Warrier, Mumbai 

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