NITI Aayog Annual Report 2017-18 | 12 Jul 2018

This ‘Think-Tank’ of government of India was founded on 1^st january 2015. This institution designs strategic and long term policy and programme frameworks and initiatives and monitors their progress and efficacy regularly.

It’s activities are divided into–

• Team India hub: Carries out mandate of fostering Cooperative federalism and Designing policy and frameworks.
• Knowledge and innovation hub: Ensures fulfilling the mandate of maintaining a state of art resource centre.

Team India Hub consists of 6 Verticals and Knowledge and Innovation Hub consists of 10 Verticals. Some of these verticals are Administration, HRD, Industry, Rural Development, Science and Technology, Governnance and Research etc.

Offices attached to the NITI Aayog:

• The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office.
• National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development.

Policy Making and Programme

1. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

It is an umbrella innovation organization set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

• Atal tinkering labs: To promote creative and innovative mindset in school children.
  • Implemented in schools across all 700 plus districts across the country.
  • Miniature electronics do it yourself kits are installed so that students from grade 6 to grade 12 can tinker with technology.
  • Vision: Every school have access to at least one or more atal tinkering labs in each district of the country.
• Atal incubators: To promote entrepreneurship in Universities and industries, NGOs, corporate industry level.
  • AIM is providing a grant of upto 10 crores to successful applicants for setting up Green field incubators or scaling up existing ones.
  • To date 19 Atal incubators have been selected.
  • Women led incubators and entrepreneurial startups are strongly encouraged.
• Atal Vikas Challenges and Atal Grand Challenges: To promote point tech innovations and product creations for social and commercial impact.
  • To promote specific product innovation with social, economic impact.
  • AIM is also partnering with corporate and other institutions to launch challenges such as AIM-YES Bank Transformation Series 2017 Smart Agri Nation Challenge had 27000 students from B-schools of India participating in it with high quality presentations on the same.

2. Reform in Homeopathy and Medicine law

Draft National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH) Bill, 2017 and National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2017 have been tabled in the parliament.

3. Joint Committee meeting on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor Project

4. Holistic development of islands

NITI Aayog has shortlisted 10 islands for holistic development.

• Package 1: Smith, Ross, Long and Aves of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Package 2: Little Andaman of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Package 3: Minicoy, Bangaram, Tinnakara, Cheriyam and Suheli islands of Lakshadweep.
• Island development agency: Under the chairmanship of the Home Minister. NITI Aayog is in process of the identification of 15 more islands in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep for development.

Competitive Cooperative Federalism

This involves–

• Joint development of National Development Agenda by the Centre and States.
• Advocacy of State perspectives with Central Ministries.

1. Development Support Service for states/UTs

• NITI Aayog has implemented a structured initiative for “Development Support ServiceS for States” (D3S).
• Vision: To achieve transformational, sustained delivery of infrastructure projects with state of art capacity disseminated at all levels of the governance.
• Objectives:
  • Establish Centre-State partnership model for cooperation
  • Demonstrates successful implementation of high impact projects
  • Establish PPPs as governance tools supporting larger development agenda
  • Address key structural issues related to infrastructure projects
  • Build institutional and organizational capacities of states and state level institutions for infrastructure projects

2. Reforms in agriculture

• Model Act on agricultural land leasing: A national workshop on Agricultural land leasing reforms was held.
  • Government of Uttar pradesh and Uttarakhand have modified their tenancy laws to promote land leasing.
  • Madhya Pradesh assembly has passed a bill Bhumiswami Evam Bataidar ke Hito mein Sanrakshan Vidheyak.
  • Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have also initiated process to modify or enact their own land leasing Acts based on NITI Aayog’s model.
• Reforms of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act.
  • Three critical areas were discussed for reforms:
    1. Agricultural market reforms.
    2. Felling and transit laws for tree produce grown at private land.
    3. Agricultural land leasing.
  • NITI Aayog has developed first ever "Agricultural marketing and farmer friendly reforms index" to sensitize states about the need to undertake reforms in agriculture market reforms, land lease reforms and forestry on private land.
  • Maharashtra ranks highest in implementation of various agricultural reforms, followed by Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
  • "Doubling Farmers’ Income – Rationale, Strategy, Prospects and Action Plan" has three pronged strategy focusing on (i) development initiatives, (ii) technology and (iii) policy reforms in agriculture.

3. Reforms in healthcare, education and water sector

• NITI Aayog has initiated web portal for social indicators by establishing an outcome monitoring framework.

4. Champions of change

• With Young CEOs & Entrepreneurs on 2017 titled Champions of Change – Transforming India through G2B partnership was organized.

5. Dashboard

• NITI Aayog has developed the Dashboard, a Progress Tracker for Union Territories of India (UTs) to monitor and track the monthly progress of various developmental schemes/ projects/ initiatives of the government.

6. Capacity building of urban local bodies

• Three frameworks developed by participantss of the first phase of capacity building programme:
  1. Integrated Data Management Framework
  2. Strategic Framework for Water Recycling
  3. Strategic Framework for Solid Waste Management and PPP

Think Tank Functions

1. Vision Document for India

• It is a fifteen-year plan for India. A three-year action Agenda for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20 has been prepared as its first part.

2. Appraisal Document

• The Appraisal Document of the 12th Five Year Plan has been finalised and circulated in the meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister.

3. Doubling of Farmers’ Income

• The first ever policy document on “Doubling Farmers’ Income –Rationale, Strategy, Prospects and Action Plan” was prepared.
• It has three pronged strategy focusing on (i) development initiatives, (ii) technology and (iii) policy reforms in agriculture.

4. Monitoring of Outcome Budget 2017-18

• DMEO has developed a web-based interactive dashboard for Monitoring of Outcome Budget.
• Qualitative improvement in the Output-Outcome Framework by reviewing and identifying relevant outputs and outcomes, and quantifiable and measurable indicators to monitor them.

5. Global entrepreneurship summit -2017

• India and US co-hosted this summit in Hyderabad.
• Theme: Women first, prosperity for all.
• The summit focused on four key industry sectors: Energy and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Financial Technology and Digital Economy, and Media and Entertainment.

6. Launch of programme to transform identified aspirational districts

• 115 districts in 28 States have been identified on the basis of a transparent process by using a composite index.
• States are the main drivers of this programme with the help of Prabhari Officers.
• Aims to make development a mass movement in these districts.

7. Interaction with economists and experts

• Interactive session with over 40 renowned economists on the theme "Economic Policy and the Road Ahead" was held.

Sectoral Objective and Achievements

1. Agriculture

• Demand and supply projects on crop, horticulture and livestock: This report provides information regarding performance of Indian agriculture and growth trends.
• Price support to farmer: Model Agricultural Land Leasing act, 2016; Agricultural Marketing Reforms Index and Policy Paper on doubling farmers income- Rationale, Strategy, Prospects And Action Plan.
• Development agenda for India @ 75: Development agenda for agriculture in new India focuses on seven goals in agriculture namely growth; stability; efficiency; food and nutrition security; food safety; sustainability; and farmers income.
• Roadmap for Bamboo development: Action plan being prepared in consultation with Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Environment Forest, Department of Land Resources, Science and Technology and Ministry of Social Welfare.
• Price deficiency payments: Government of Madhya Pradesh is implementing a pilot project on deficiency price payments (Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana) in 8 crops viz soybean, groundnut, sesame, niger, maize, urad, moong and tur .
• Production of timber sources from non-forest lands would meet vision for doubling farmers’ income, job creation, reducing heavy dependence on imports and contributing to carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide through additional tree cover for meeting India’s international climate change commitments.
• Drought assessment and relief: Agriculture Vertical has been actively engaged in Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) constituted by Ministry of to assess the damage caused due to drought, hailstorms, cold waves, etc to crops and livestock.

2. Health

• As a nation, we have shown significant declines in infant mortality, maternal mortality and total fertility rates, however, the inter-state variation in achievements remain a matter of concern.
• 3 year action agenda: It was developed as the first part of the larger 15 year Vision of India. Priority Actions outlined are: Public and preventive health, Assurance of health care, Fiscal transfers for better health outcomes, Human resource for health, Access to medicines, Health research.
• Committee finalized the draft National Medical Commission Bill for replacing the Medical Council of India with the proposed National Medical Commission. The bill has been approved by the Union Cabinet.
• NITI Aayog has spearheaded the Health index initiative, to measure the annual performance of States and UTs, and rank States on the basis of change, while also providing an overall status of States’ performance. Indicators: outcomes, governance & information and key inputs/processes.
• Sustainable action for transforming human capital (SATH): NITI Aayog has launched the Development of Support Services for States (DSSS) rechristened as SATH Programme for transforming the health sector, to foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives with States. The three states which have been selected under the programme are Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Assam.
• NITI Aayog was mandated to create the framework for tracking the performance of district hospitals and Indian Statistical Institute has been selected to develop portal.
• NITI Aayog is carrying out evaluation of existing NIPERs. (NIPERs are institutes set up under the aegis of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India.)
• It is also working on implementing Electronic health record across India.

3. Women and child development

• NITI Aayog has been assigned for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Maternity Benefit Programme. Accordingly, first Quarterly Report and Dashboard have been prepared with inputs received from MWCD and State and shared with PMO.
• NITI Aayog undertook field visits to four States – Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to document the State’s initiatives on Take Home Ration (THR) and managing Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children.

4. Governance and research

• Networking with other think tanks: NITI has launched a major initiative viz. SAMAVESH aimed at networking and partnership with knowledge and research institutions using a hub and spoke model, which was followed by a focused meeting on IMPRINT (Impacting Research, Innovation and Technology).
• NITI Aayog conducted an evaluation study of DBT in Fertilizers through M/s Microsave, which has shown encouraging results and remarkable success in implementation.
• NITI Aayog undertook in-depth review of autonomous bodies of Union Government.
• It also set up Ratan Watal committee to find the ways and means to transform India’s gold market.

5. Human resource development

• The Human Resources Development (HRD) Division, restructured as HRD Vertical in the Team India Hub of NITI Aayog, is dealing with issues related to School Education & Higher Education.

• Under NITI Internship Programme, interns from various leading institutions from across the country have been provided internship training.
• Other achievements:
  • School Education Quality Index (SEQI): It is in the final stages of development by the NITI Aayog in consultation with the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), State Education Departments of all States & UTs and various stakeholders, including educationists.
  • Development Support Services for States/UTs (D3S) for Education Projects: The key objective of this policy is to identify and build three future ‘Role Model’ States for education systems. First workshop was held in Orissa .
  • Reforms in Higher Education: A Committee for Reforms in Higher Education was constituted based on NITI’s presentation on ‘Proposed Reforms in Regulatory Frameworks of the UGC and AICTE’.

6. Culture

• This Vertical examined the EFC/SFC proposals on
  1. Museum Grant Scheme
  2. Scheme for setting up of Science Cities/Science Centres/Innovation Hubs
  3. Continuation of the National Mission on Libraries-upgradation of Libraries providing services to the Public
  4. Appraisal of ongoing five Schemes after merging them in a single Scheme namely “Scheme of Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art & Culture”
  5. Dandi related Projects and Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission
  6. Scheme for Promotion of International Cultural Relations
  7. Appraisal of ongoing two Schemes after merging them in a single Scheme namely “Scheme of Financial Assistance for creation of Cultural Infrastructure”.

7. Skill development and employment unit

• Skill Development & Employment Division published a Compendium ‘Skilling for Employability: Best Practices’ highlighting best practices in overcoming challenges such as equity, access, quality and relevance in the government, civil society and private sectors.
• Schemes/Programmes
  • Strengthening the Apprenticeship Ecosystem in India
  • North East Rural Livelihood Project
  • Upgradation of Existing Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into Model Industrial Training Institutes
  • Re-structuring of National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to strengthen governance, implementation and monitoring framework
  • Memorandum on National Career Service Centre for Differently Abled
  • National Career Service Project/Employment Exchanges Mission Mode Project (EEMMP)

8. Managing urbanization

• Managing Urbanization (MU) Vertical in NITI Aayog deals with urban sector/issues and works in close association with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• The Vertical collaborates with various departments of Centre and State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Knowledge Bodies/Institutions, Think Tanks, Experts, Policy Makers in planning, coordinating, formulating, processing, appraisal, analysis and monitoring of various urban sector schemes, programmes and projects.

9. Rural development

• Rural Development Vertical of the NITI Aayog provides overall policy guidance to the D/o Rural Development, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in programmes and schemes implemented by them.
• NITI Aayog has developed Monthly & Quarterly Dashboard on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and Quarterly Dashboard on Deendayal Antyodya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).

10. Energy and international cooperation

• Joint Research Projects between NITI Aayog and Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ) - A statement of intent (SOI) was signed between NITI Aayog and IEEJ, working on project namely “High Penetration of Renewable Power: Comparative Study of Japan and India by year 2032".
• International Energy Agency (IEA) and NITI Aayog has signed Statement of Intent (SoI) for collaboration on energy sector related joint study projects.
• NITI Aayog and Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) India has signed Statement of Intent (SoI) for collaboration on energy sector related joint study projects.
• NITI Aayog has entrusted the responsibility of formulation of GIS Energy Map of India to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for providing energy related information to stakeholders.
• The unit coordinate with Ministry of Power for up-dating of NITI Aayog Dashboard for “Power for All”.
• NITI Aayog has launched the India Energy Portal (IEP) (www.indiaenergy.gov.in) which presently houses its flagship initiative India Energy Security Scenarios (IESS) 2047.
• NITI Aayog has constituted a Technical Committee to recommend suitable technology on surface coal gasification which is being served by coal unit.
• NITI Aayog has been entrusted with task of framing National Energy Policy.
• NITI Aayog has set up Energy Dashboard- an endeavour towards assimilating all energy related data at one place in first phase.2nd phase to create online system of data.
• Bilateral cooperation between NITI Aayog and Government of UK, the imitative to develop state energy calculator have been taken up, first phase three states – Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam was taken up.

11. Industry

• Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was constituted by Ministry of Shipping under the chairmanship of CEO NITI Aayog for preparing a road-map for the Coastal Economic Zone (CEZ) development and for steering the development of the related CEZ. NITI Aayog was nodal agency for the committee.
• NITI Aayog released the report on Ease of Doing Business based on an Enterprise Survey, conducted jointly with the IDFC Institute.
• A new Cell under the Industry Vertical, NITI Aayog to promote Women Entrepreneurship in the Country has been set up under Adviser (Industry & DM&A).
• A Statement of Intent on bilateral economic partnership for mutual understanding and cooperation between NITI Aayog, and the Australian Treasury, Australian Government was signed.

12. Infrastructure

• NITI Aayog’s Infrastructure-Connectivity vertical is mandated to provide an integrated approach to transport sector by promoting efficient, sustainable, environment friendly and regionally balanced transportation system.
• A report titled “India Leaps Ahead: Transformative Mobility Solutions for All” was unveiled by NITI Aayog. It was prepared in collaboration with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).
• Signing of Statement of Intent (SoI) with International Road Federation (IRF) on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
• An independent ‘Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) Monitoring Committee’ is created for monitoring railway safety fund.

13. Financial resources

• To foster co-operative and competitive federalism among States, the Financial Resources Division of NITI Aayog has assumed the role of assessing financial health of the States, including assessment of transfers to the States from Centre, social sector expenditure by States, analyzing closely the financially unhealthy States, critical review of the fund transfer mechanism for appropriate policy interventions.

14. Natural resources and environment

• The Environment and Forest division of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Vertical is involved in formulation of policies and development of strategies for sustainable management of forests; protection of wildlife and their habitats; and maintenance of a clean, green and healthy environment.
• Formulation of appropriate strategies for maintaining a clean, green and healthy environment was a priority for NITI Aayog.
• It has been working closely with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and other stakeholders for controlling air pollution especially in Delhi NCR.
• Four Task Forces were constituted in NITI Aayog with experts as members to recommend suitable interventions for Clean Fuel, Clean Transport, Clean Industries and Biomass Management.
• Research studies in the E&F sector were completed under the NITI Aayog's Research study grant scheme, Ex-Coal Mining, Displacement and Rural Livelihoods: A Study in Mahanadi Coal Field, Odisha conducted by the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela.

15. Science and technology

• Based on the recommendations of NITI Aayog, Department and Science & Technology has formulated a Cabinet Note for financial and administrative reforms for effective functioning and delivery of Science and Technology in India, which is under Inter-Ministerial consultation.

16. Social justice and empowerment

• The Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E) Division in NITI Aayog is actively functioning to provide inputs in formulation and strengthening of policies and programmes to promote and safeguard the interest of the socially, educationally and economically weaker sections of the society.

17. Voluntary action cell

• An important initiative of the VAC is maintaining an electronic database of VOs/NGOs which is done through the NGO Darpan Portal. The NGO-DARPAN (NGO-PS) Portal is an e-governance application to electronically maintain data regarding Non-Government organizations (NGOs)/ Voluntary Organizations (VOs) in the country.

18. Development Monitoring And Evaluation Office

• The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) was established by the Government on 2015 as an attached office of the NITI Aayog by merging the erstwhile Programme Evaluation Organization and the Independent Evaluation Office.
• DMEO has developed a web-based interactive dashboard which is accessed by the concerned Ministries to upload data on the progress made by them in the implementation of PMAY.

19. Appraisal of programmes/schemes/project

• One of the important functions undertaken in NITI Aayog relate to appraisal of programmes/ schemes/projects. The appraisal work is undertaken through two divisions namely:
  • Project Appraisal Management Division (PAMD) undertakes appraisal of public-funded programmes/schemes/projects.
  • Public Private Partnership Appraisal Unit (PPPAU) appraises Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects received from Central and State/UT Governments for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the Scheme for Financial Support to PPP in Infrastructure.

20. Water resources

• The Inter-Ministerial Team constituted by the NITI Aayog has conducted the evaluation of the projects and the reports have been shared with the PMO, MoWR, RD & GR, State Governments & Rainfed Area Authority.
• Composite Water Management Index has been developed in NITI Aayog with 28 Key Performance Indicators covering source management, supply and demand side management - inter-alia covering irrigation, drinking water (rural and urban), watershed development, and policy and governance. The index will rank the States on the basis of verifiable data provided by them.
• The document “Best Practices in Water Sector” has been prepared in consultation with TERI University, New Delhi. The “Best Practices in Water Sector” are to be uploaded on web portal.
• The Water Resources Vertical has assisted DMEO, NITI Aayog in the preparation of Water Resource part of Output-Outcome Budget (2018-19). The same is communicated to the Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR.
• The Vertical has assisted DMEO, NITI Aayog in the preparation of Land Resource part of Output-Outcome Budget (2018-19).
• A Draft report of the Committee on “Land Titling – A Way forward” has been prepared in consultation with the concerned ministries and departments, and states. The final draft has been sent to PMO for further consideration.

21. Data management and analysis

• NITI Aayog proposes to institute a Digital Transformation index for states. The index includes parameters which can allow states to examine their progress towards digital transformation and compare it to that of others, thus acting as a catalyst to reform.