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SSC Foundation Online Live Batch (With Hard Copy)
01 December, 2024
NITI Aayog
Sat 23 Nov, 2024
Context
- NITI Aayog has recently released a report named 'Enhancing Domestic Coking Coal Availability to Reduce the import of Coking Coal'.
Key Highlights:
- Considering India’s commitments to Net Zero by 2070, the country’s interests would be better served by fully utilising the proved reserves of medium coking coal (16.5 billion tonne) in India for metallurgical purposes.
- The government must include coking coal in the list of critical minerals.
- To enhance the domestic production of the key raw material for steel production, the government should provide special dispensation.
NITI Aayog's creation has two hubs: -
- Team India Hub: It leads the partnership of Indian states with the central government.
- The Knowledge and Innovation Hub: This institute builds think tank capabilities.
Guiding Principles of the Commission: Inclusion, People's Participation and Sustainability
Composition of the Commission:
- Chairman: Prime Minister
- CEO of NITI Aayog: B. V. R. Subrahmanyam
- Vice Chairman: Appointed by the Prime Minister. (Current Vice Chairman: Suman Beri)
- Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all states and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
- Ad-hoc Membership: Two members in ex-officio capacity from leading research institutions on a rotational basis
- Ex-officio Membership: Maximum four members from the Union Council of Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister.
- Chief Executive Officer: Appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.
- Special Invitee Member: Expert nominated by the Prime Minister who has expertise in the field
Indices and Initiatives of Niti Aayog:
- SDG India Index
- Composite Water Management Index
- Atal Innovation Mission
- SATH programme
- Aspirational District Programme
- School Education Quality Index
- District Hospital Index
- Composite Health Index
- Digital Transformation Index
- Agriculture Marketing and Farmer Friendly reform Index
- India Innovation Index
- Women Entrepreneurship Platform
- Good Governance Index
| Planning Commission | NITI Aayog |
| Formed by executive resolution of the government – neither a statutory nor a constitutional body. | Formed by an executive resolution of the government – neither a statutory or constitutional body |
| It focused on a 'top-down' approach to planning. | It focuses on a 'bottom-up' approach to planning |
| The ministries and state governments had the power to allocate funds. | To be an advisory body or a think-tank, NITI does not have the power to allocate funds. |
| The final commission had eight full-time members. | The number of full-time members may be less than the Planning Commission. |
| The role of the states was limited to annual participation in the National Development Council and during the annual meetings. | State governments are expected to play a more important role than the Planning Commission. |
| The secretary or member secretary was appointed through the normal process. | Secretaries are known as CEOs and are to be appointed by the Prime Minister. |
| There was no provision for part-time members in the full Planning Commission. | To have several part-time members depending on the need from time to time. |
| The commission reported to the National Development Council, Which was consisted of the chief minister and lieutenant governor of the state. | The Governing Council consists of the Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor of the state. |
| There was a deputy chairperson, a member secretary and full-time members. | There are also five full-time members and two part-time members, with new positions of Secretary, and Vice-Chairman. Four Cabinet Ministers serve as ex-officio members. |
| The commission used to form policies and consulted the states about the allocation of funds. | To consult the states while making policy and deciding on the allocation of funds. The final policy will be the result of that. |
| The policies were applied to the states and the allocation of funds corresponded with the approved projects. | NITI Aayog is a think-tank and does not have the power to implement policies. |
Critical Minerals for India:
- Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for economic development and national security, the lack of availability of these minerals or concentration of extraction or processing in a few geographical locations may lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies.
- According to Ministry of Mines there are 30 critical minerals for India.
- Some examples are: Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, etc.