Arvind Panagariya takes official charge as head of NITI Aayog
13 Jan 2015
Known free market economist Arvind Panagariya today took official charge as the vice-chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITI), the new body created by the government to replace the traditional Planning Commission.
Panigariya is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chairman of the new body (as his predecessors were of the Planning Commission) later.
Modi this month appointed the vice-chairman and two full-time members – economist Bibek Debroy and former defence secretary V K Saraswat.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, railways minister Suresh Prabhu, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, transport minister Nitin Gadkari, social justice and empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, and HRD Minister Smriti Irani will be special invitees.
Sindhushree Khullar is the new Chief Executive Officer of NITI.