NITI Aayog not transforming India
THE WEEK India|August 18, 2024
Is the NITI Aayog an "institute" or a "commission"? With his childish penchant for converting Hindi words into English acronyms, Narendra Modi has expanded NITI"sound advice"—to "National Institute for Transforming India', and then added "Aayog", Hindi for "commission". So, NITI Aayog remains mystified over its role.
MANI SHANKAR AIYAR
NITI Aayog not transforming India

The erstwhile Planning Commission had hard financial clout. The NITI Aayog's role is at best "advisory', moreover, the NITI Aayog's attempt to position itself as the principal think-tank of the government has failed because there is endless overlap between "advice" tendered by NITI and the quite separate counsels, often on the same set of subjects, by the prime minister's economic advisory council and the chief economic advisor sitting in the finance ministry (and oftentimes the Reserve Bank of India), not to mention the private think-tanks of saffron tendency such as the India Foundation and the Vivekananda Foundation, and earlier world-renowned independent think-tanks like the Centre for Policy Research that the saffron forces are attempting to sabotage and infiltrate. Worse, these various bodies outdo each other to act as echo chambers for what the prime minister wishes to hear—for if they did not, they would soon be out on their ear.

Denne historien er fra August 18, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 18, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEK INDIASe alt
Forging the future
THE WEEK India

Forging the future

As the curtain falls on 2024, I take pride in the extraordinary milestones achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year stands as a testament to the Modi government's resolve to forge a resilient and forward-looking Bharat. From groundbreaking advancements in infrastructure to visionary global initiatives, these efforts resonate deeply with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Our strange democracy
THE WEEK India

Our strange democracy

Abraham Lincoln is lauded as among the very best presidents the US ever had: the statesman par excellence successfully steered the nation through the devastating and perilous years of the American civil war. Not only did Lincoln manage to keep his country united, he also ensured the passage of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which abolished slavery.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Five years of post-pandemic fashion
THE WEEK India

Five years of post-pandemic fashion

It has been five years since we discovered what Covid-19 was, and five years since it disrupted the world forever. The World Health Organization activated their emergency systems on January 1, 2020, and informed the world by January 4, 2020. By the end of that week, they had set guidelines for various countries to follow. Comparable to the Spanish flu of 1918, more than 7 million people have died of Covid according to official data. Unofficially, no one has an idea. WHO has just this week asked China to provide critical data to understand the virus's origins as a “moral and scientific imperative”.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Community spirit
THE WEEK India

Community spirit

Rhythm of Dammam opens a window to the world of African-origin Siddis of Uttara Kannada

time-read
4 mins  |
January 12, 2025
'Breaking' down a scandal
THE WEEK India

'Breaking' down a scandal

Society Girl is not just a case study of a high-profile death in Pakistan but also a stark commentary on media trials

time-read
2 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Progress card
THE WEEK India

Progress card

Jasmine Shah's book tells you what the AAP has achieved in Delhi in the last 10 years

time-read
2 mins  |
January 12, 2025
SENSE IN NONSENSE
THE WEEK India

SENSE IN NONSENSE

In his latest book of poetry, Ruskin Bond is at his funniest

time-read
4 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Get ready for Trump bump
THE WEEK India

Get ready for Trump bump

The ‘butterfly effect’ is a beautiful, mysterious metaphor of the planet’s interconnectedness.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 12, 2025
QUIET FLOWS THE FAITH
THE WEEK India

QUIET FLOWS THE FAITH

The melding of an ancient amorphous faith and the latest science; of an antique tradition and new practices; ways of life older than memory and new expressions is happening at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

time-read
8 mins  |
January 12, 2025
Trash to treasure
THE WEEK India

Trash to treasure

How a weed-choked Dal Lake spurred Maninder Singh's journey to become a waste management visionary

time-read
6 mins  |
January 12, 2025