Earlier this month, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the ‘NITI for States’ platform.

What is the purpose of ‘NITI for States’ platform?

• It is a comprehensive digital initiative designed to empower states and Union Territories (UTs) in their pursuit of national development goals.

• It marks a significant leap in the realm of policy and good governance, aiming to establish a robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

• The platform boasts an extensive repository encompassing 7,500 best practices, 5,000 policy documents, 900+ datasets, 1,400 data profiles, and 350 NITI publications, covering a spectrum of ten sectors.

• These ten sectors are — Agriculture, Education, Energy, Health & Nutrition, Manufacturing, Tourism, Urbanisation, MSME, Water & Sanitation and Skilling & Labour Welfare.

• With a keen focus on cross-cutting themes like gender and climate change, the platform is geared to cater to the diverse needs of policymakers and administrators across states and UTs.

• Designed with a user-friendly interface, the platform ensures accessibility through various devices, including mobile phones, facilitating seamless navigation and engagement.

• It aims to drive digital transformation in governance by empowering officials with actionable insights, thereby elevating the quality of decision-making processes.

Expected outcomes:

i) Accelerate digital transformation of governance by equipping officials with robust knowledge, actionable insights, and user-friendly digital tools.

ii) Empower frontline functionaries at the district and block levels to replicate successful initiatives and address local challenges effectively.

iii) Foster cooperative federalism and strengthen good governance practices through knowledge sharing and cross-learning among states and UTs.

The ‘NITI for States’ platform is a cornerstone initiative empowering states and UTs to contribute significantly to the collective vision of a developed India. 

What is NITI Aayog?

• National Institution for Transforming India, better known as NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015.

• The government constituted NITI Aayog to replace the Planning Commission, which had been instituted in 1950. 

• NITI Aayog acts as the quintessential platform of the government of India to bring the states to act together in national interest, and thereby fosters cooperative federalism.

• It is the premier policy think tank of the government of India, providing directional and policy inputs. Apart from designing long-term policies and programmes for the government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant strategic and technical advice to the Centre, states, and Union Territories.

• NITI Aayog is developing itself as a state-of-the-art resource centre with the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable it to act with speed, promote research and innovation, provide strategic policy vision for the government, and deal with contingent issues.

Team NITI Aayog

• The Prime Minister is the chairperson of NITI Aayog. 

• The vice chairperson is appointed by the Prime Minister. 

• Currently, there are four full-time members. Four Union ministers are nominated by the Prime Minister as Ex-officio members. Special Invitees are also nominated to NITI Aayog.

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure, in the rank of secretary to the government of India.

NITI Aayog’s entire gamut of activities can be divided into four main heads:

i) Policy and Programme Framework

ii) Cooperative Federalism

iii) Monitoring and Evaluation

iv) Think Tank, and Knowledge and Innovation Hub.

• NITI Aayog plays an integrative role — with the active involvement of states, the civil society, and other think tanks — in development of a shared vision of national priorities and strategies in critical areas of human and economic development.

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