Assess the role of NITI Aayog over the past decade in promoting cooperative and competitive federalism.

NITI Aayog has been established as public think tank replacing Planning Commission in 2016. Role of NITI Aayog in promoting: ① Cooperative Federalism: - Governing Council of NITI Aayog → with states representation → together for better development - State and Centre consultations on policies (by Team India council → for better development - Common platform to provide insights to all (by SDG research → helps Centre & State, targets updation together - Policy ideation for state & centre development (by Centre sponsored schemes like Swachh Bharat/ Mission → both state & own corporation - AI mission by NITI Aayog → helps easy adoption to all states ② Competitive Federalism: - Various indicators designed to measure progress of states (by SDG index, MPI index of state - Promote competitive development by incentivized performance (by Aspirational District Program with 47 districts → social development - Promote pace of being business by competition (by DPI index → helping states to compete - Helps to have healthy growth by competitive (by states, competing → Harvest Scheme - NITI aayog monitoring state's growth is to promote spirit of competition

⑤ To tackle concerns of states by dispute resolution through council → better cooperation ⑥ Promotes innovation and helps all together grow (by Centre fund for lateral Innovation, lateral in all states ⑦ Competitive Federalism: - Various indicators designed to measure progress of states (by SDG index, MPI index of state - Promote competitive development by incentivized performance (by Aspirational District Program with 47 districts → social development - Promote pace of being business by competition (by DPI index → helping states to compete - Helps to have healthy growth by competitive (by states, competing → Harvest Scheme - NITI aayog monitoring state's growth is to promote spirit of competition

DMED of NITI Aayog → data based evaluation ⑤ Performance based incentives to states by NITI Aayog Issues still remain: ① Toothless body: lack of enforcement power ② Resource constraint: can only invest in identified body ③ Lack of states dispute resolution & to ensure equal pedestal as states input not taken ④ Either not at equal pedestal as states input not taken ⑤ Neither states, power concerns → No technical expertise Key Forward: ① NITI Aayog should be supported with budgets to implement new measures ② Bifurcation of NITI Aayog decisions ③ Research & innovation funds support NITI aayog's due ballooning of new innovations & need to revamp (2010)

— KRUPA A JAIN · AIR 190