As NITI Aayog completes 10 years of its establishment, critically examine its role in institutional and development paradigm of governance in India. (Answer in 250 words)

NITI Aayog is a policy think tank of government which focuses on developing comprehensive federalism and policy support to flagship initiatives. Role of NITI Aayog: POSITIVES: (1) Employs a whole of government approach for holistic planning (2) Use of experts as part of NITI Aayog's planning dispenses secrets. (3) Incorporation of technology like GIS, ISROs, Bhawan portal, Digital Dashboards for planning utilisation of resources: (1) Includes feedback from states which planning NEGATIVES: (1) Lack of bottom-up approach in planning. (2) Bureaucratic mindset dominates what planning governance measures. (3) State's inputs are merely advisory and not proper decentralised planning (4) One size fits all approach is not suitable.

ii In development: POSITIVES: (1) Focus on the most-backward regions has improved inclusive governance. Eg: Aspirational District program. (2) Reducing poverty due to NITI Aayog's self-targeting schemes Eg: Focus on Gram Panchayat development plan. (3) Partnering with states for development- Eg: Implementation of PM-Jan Arogya schemes. (4) Clause of socially approach- Eg: Encouraging use of [illegible], high-tech. NEGATIVES: (1) No seed outcomes achieved In India still has 24.6 crore people in abject poor. (2) Dominance of central players. (3) Wasteful expenditure due to development plans not including ground realities. India needs to strengthen NITI Aayog to avail the best input and policy realisation global best practice.

Eg: Aspirational District program. (2) Reducing poverty due to NITI Aayog's self-targeting schemes Eg: Focus on Gram Panchayat development plan. (3) Partnering with states for development- Eg: Implementation of PM-Jan Arogya schemes. (4) Clause of socially approach- Eg: Encouraging use of [illegible], high-tech. NEGATIVES: (1) No seed outcomes achieved In India still has 24.6 crore people in abject poor. (2) Dominance of centre powers. (3) Wasteful expenditure due to development plans not including ground realities. India needs to strengthen NITI Aayog to avail the best input and policy realisations global best practice.