India 2018

452 India 2018
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Planning
PLANNING in India derives its objectives and social premises from the Directive
Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution. Public and private sectors
are viewed as complementary. The private sector covers, besides organized
industry, small-scale industries, agriculture, trade and housing, construction
and related areas. Individual efforts and private initiatives are considered
necessary and desirable in the national endeavour for development with optimum
voluntary cooperation.
NITI Aayog
The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) came into existence
in 2015 replacing the Planning Commission which was established in 1950. The
NITI Aayog is the successor to the Planning Commission. The new institution is
envisaged to be a catalyst to the developmental process; nurturing an overall
enabling environment, through a holistic approach to development going beyond
the limited sphere of the public sector and Government of India. This is to be
built on the foundation of an empowered role of states as equal partners in
national development underlying the principle of cooperative federalism. A
knowledge hub of internal as well as external resources; serving as repository of
good governance best practices and a think tank offering domain knowledge as
well as strategic expertise to all levels of government. A collaborative platform
facilitating implementation by monitoring progress, plugging gaps and bringing
together the various ministries at the Centre and in states, in the joint pursuit of
developmental goals.
Objectives
Founded in 2015, the National Institution for Transformation of India or NITI
Aayog has been created to serve as the think tank of the Government of India.
The Prime Minister of India serves as the Chair of the institution. The institution
plays a leadership role in policymaking in the central government, works closely
with state governments, serves as a knowledge hub and monitors progress in the
implementation of policies and programmes of the Government of India. The
institution provides the central and state governments with relevant strategic
and technical advice across the spectrum on key policy elements. These include
matters of national and international importance on the economic front,
dissemination of best practices from within the country and from other nations,
the infusion of new policy ideas and specific issue-based support. Through
consultative and other mechanisms, it endeavours to inform of the best practices
developed in one or more states or in other parts of the world to all states for
possible adoption. It fosters cooperative federalism through structured support
and policy guidance to the states on a continuous basis. The institution designs