Suman Bery, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman.
| Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran

India is proving to be a source of solutions in multiple areas, including public service delivery and digitalisation, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairperson Suman Bery said.

Mr. Bery also said that by putting the SDGs at the heart of its G20 presidency, India has acknowledged that these are an almost sacred commitment by the global community to its less advantaged people.

“India is proving to be a source of solutions in multiple areas, be it public service delivery, be it digitalisation, even for multinational corporations, the so-called global capability centres,” Mr. Bery told PTI in an exclusive interview in United Nations.

“Both in their design and I would argue, based on the Indian experience on their implementation, I really see the SDGs as a commitment by governments to their own people. In the 21st century, this is a kind of commitment to a decent life.” Responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047, Mr. Bery underscored that the Indian leader has highlighted how much can be achieved with a single-minded focus in a period of 25 years.

He said that one thing that is clear is that this is ‘Amrit Kaal’ because this is when India will have the peak conditions for its working labour force. “And to do what we can to make the most of that opportunity through skilling, training, better job matching, rising productivity,” he said.

India’s commitment to sustainable development

Mr. Bery was in New York to represent India at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) that took place at the U.N. headquarters from July 8 to July 17 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council.

The theme of the forum was ‘Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions’.

Mr. Bery delivered India’s National Statement at the forum’s general debate, emphasizing India’s commitment to sustainable development and inclusive growth.

He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum, discussing ways to enhance cooperation in sustainable development, strengthening partnerships for economic cooperation, international development initiatives and efforts to address environmental challenges.

He also addressed an HLPF side event organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and NITI Aayog titled ‘Leaving No One Behind: India’s Experience in Accelerating SDGs’ that showcased India’s efforts on SDG localization to ensure delivery at the last mile in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.

Mr. Bery also addressed a gathering of eminent members of the Indian-American community and diaspora, investors and industry leaders at a special event titled ‘Developed India @ 2047’ organised by the Consulate General of India in New York in collaboration with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. At the event, he spoke about India’s growth across various sectors and its impact on the world economy, as well as the India-US partnership.

The HLPF reviewed in-depth Sustainable Goal 1 of ending poverty in all its forms everywhere; Goal 2 of ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Goal 13 of taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; Goal 16 of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and Goal 17 of strengthening the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

New Delhi:

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Tuesday reconstituted the NITI Aayog, with four full-time members and 15 union ministers, including from BJP allies, as either ex-officio members or special invitees.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the chairperson and economist Suman K Bery will continue to be the vice-chairperson of NITI Aayog, according to an official notification.

Scientist V K Saraswat, agricultural economist Ramesh Chand, paediatrician V K Paul and macro-economist Arvind Virmani will also continue to be full-time members of the government think-tank.

The four ex-officio members will be Union Ministers Rajnath Singh (Defence), Amit Shah (Home), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture) and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance).

The prime minister has approved the revised composition of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the notification said.

The special invitees in the reconstituted NITI Aayog will be Union ministers Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways), Jagat Prakash Nadda (Health), H D Kumaraswamy (Heavy Industries and Steel), Jitan Ram Manjhi (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying).

Other special invitees are Union Ministers Virendra Kumar (Social Justice and Empowerment), Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu (Civil Aviation), Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs), Annpurna Devi (Women and Child Development), Chirag Paswan (Food Processing Industries) and Rao Inderjit Singh (Statistics and Programme Implementation).

Kumaraswamy belongs to NDA partner JD-S, Manjhi is from Hindustani Awam Morcha, Rajiv Ranjan Singh is from JD-U, Naidu belongs to TDP and Paswan is from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

National Institution for Transforming India, better known as ‘NITI Aayog’, was constituted in 2015 when the Modi government chose to scrap the 65-year-old Planning Commission.

“Embracing a vision for holistic development and innovation, NITI Aayog is on a journey of transformative initiatives that promise to redefine India’s future,” the Aayog said in a Facebook post.

The government has reconstituted the NITI Aayog following changes in the council of ministers. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The NITI GearShift Challenge invites students, transport service practitioners, academics, and researchers to develop innovative business models that address financial, technical, and operational challenges in the adoption of electric trucks.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with IIM Bangalore, Smart Freight Centre India, CALSTART/Drive to Zero, and WRI India, announced the launch of the NITI GearShift Challenge as part of the e-FAST India initiative.

This pioneering hackathon aims to foster innovative business models for the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India, addressing the nation’s pressing economic and environmental challenges.

The NITI GearShift Challenge invites students, transport service practitioners, academics, and researchers to develop innovative business models that address financial, technical, and operational challenges in the adoption of electric trucks.

The program has garnered participation from e-FAST India knowledge partners, financial institutions, and industry forums.

The hackathon will unfold in two rounds. In Round 1, teams will submit their initial business models addressing a specific barrier–technical, operational, or financial — supported by high-level strategies and research.

Shortlisted teams in Round 2 will present detailed business models with an implementation roadmap, backed by both primary and secondary research. These proposals will be mentored by industry leaders to ensure practical and impactful solutions.

India’s freight sector is vital to the economy, ensuring the smooth delivery of goods to over 1.4 billion people.

With road freight accounting for a staggering 55 per cent of India’s annual diesel consumption and nearly 40 per cent of CO2 emissions from road transport, there is an urgent need to transition to more sustainable solutions.

The electrification of freight transportation is a key priority, as electric trucks offer a transformative opportunity to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and enhance energy security.

The GearShift Challenge marks a pivotal move towards sustainable freight transportation in India. By tapping into the creativity and expertise of participants, the hackathon aims to generate practical solutions that will accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks, thereby benefiting both the economy and the environment.

Patna:

While JD-U leaders continue to demand special status for Bihar, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi asserted that the NITI Aayog has clearly ruled out the provision for any state, but noted the state’s financial needs will be met.

“The NITI Aayog has clearly denied special status to any state in the country. People from different political parties can do anything, but special status will not be given to any state,” he said while interacting with media persons in Hajipur.

He added that the Central government has assured financial assistance to Bihar. “Whatever amount of money is needed for development, the central government and PM Narendra Modi will provide it,” Jitan Ram Manjhi said.

Since the formation of the NDA government at the Centre, JD-U leaders have been advocating for special status for Bihar and Water Resource Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Building Construction Minister Ashok Choudhary have been vocal in their demands.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders like RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Meira Kumar have mocked the JD-U for seeking special status from the BJP despite being part of the NDA government.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Arvind Virmani, NITI Ayog member. File
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“The Indian economy will grow around 7% in the current fiscal year and is on track to maintain a similar growth rate for several years,” NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani said on July 12.

Mr. Virmani said there are new challenges facing the country and they will have to be dealt with. “Indian economy will grow at 7% plus minus point 0.5%… I expect that we are on track to grow at 7% for several years from today,” he told PTI in an interview.

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) pegged the FY25 gross domestic product (GDP)growth rate at 7.2%. Responding to a question on the decline in private consumption expenditures in the last fiscal year, Mr. Virmani said it is actually recovering now.

“The effect of the pandemic was to draw down savings… and very different from previous financial shocks,” he said. Explaining further, Mr. Virmani said it is like what he calls a double drought situation.

“We also had, of course, El Nino last year, but what the pandemic did was that it resulted in people having to draw down their savings… So, the obvious reaction is to rebuild your savings, which tend to reduce current consumption,” he noted.

“If people were buying branded goods, they will buy less branded or ordinary goods and save part of that money,” he said, explaining that this shows a slide in consumption.

Mr. Virmani said history shows that coalition partners can slow privatisation in States in which the regional ally is in power, but that is not a big issue.

“I see no reason why privatisation cannot happen in the other States and it may also happen in these States (where coalition parties are in power). I am just giving you a historical example,” he said.

With support from N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), along with other alliance partners, the NDA crossed the halfway mark in the recently held Lok Sabha elections to form the government at the Centre.

On the decline in foreign direct investments (FDI) to India, despite it being the fastest growing economy, Mr. Virmani said riskless return of investment is much higher in the U.S. and other developed countries than in emerging markets.

“As soon as interest rates begin to come down in the U.S., I expect the FDI into emerging markets, including India, to increase,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair NITI Aayog’s ninth Governing Council meeting on July 27, which will discuss the ‘Vikshit Bharat@2047’ document to make India a developed nation, a senior government official said on July 8.

The Council, the apex body of NITI Aayog, includes all State Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, and several Union Ministers. Mr. Modi is the Chairman of the NITI Aayog.

“Ahead of the Council meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will likely give a glimpse of the Viksit Bharat vision and action plan in the Budget on July 23,” the official said.

A vision document is being prepared for India to become a developed economy of $30 trillion by 2047, the 100th year of its independence.

In 2023, NITI Aayog was entrusted with the task of consolidating the 10 sectoral thematic visions into a combined vision for Viksit Bharat @2047. The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance, among others.

Cheistha Kochhar. Photo: Linkedin

An Indian student died after being run over by a truck while cycling back to her apartment in London last week, according to a social media post by Niti Aayog former CEO Amitabh Kant.

33-year-old Cheistha Kochhar was a Ph.D. student at the London School of Economics (LSE), her father retired Lieutenant General Dr. S.P. Kochhar said in a post on LinkedIn.

Cheistha Kochhar, who had previously worked with the public policy think-tank NITI Aayog, was pursuing her Ph.D. in Behavioural Science from LSE.

Mr. Amitabh Kant in his post on X said that Cheistha Kochhar had worked with him on the LIFE programme in Niti Aayog. He described her bright, brilliant brave and always full of life. “Cheistha Kochar worked with me on the #LIFE programme in @NITIAayog. She was in the #Nudge unit and had gone to do her Ph.D. in behavioural science at #LSE Passed away in a terrible traffic incident while cycling in London. She was bright, brilliant & brave and always full of life. Gone away too early. RIP.”

Mission LiFE is an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. Lieutenant General Kochhar (Retd.) stated that he is still in London trying to collect the remains of his daughter, Cheistha Kocchar. In a post on LinkedIn, Lieutenant General Kochhar stated, “I am still in London trying to collect the remains of my daughter, Cheistha Kochhar. She was run over by a truck on 19 Mar while cycling back from LSE, where she was doing her PhD. It has devastated us and her large circle of friends.”

Cheistha Kochhar was a doctoral candidate at the LSE since September 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile. Prior to that she worked as Senior Advisor in the National Behavioural Insights Unit of India, Niti Aayog from June 2021 — April 2023. Previously, she worked as Associate Director in Centre for Social and Behaviour Change. She had completed her studies at Delhi University, Ashoka University, and the Universities of Pennsylvania and Chicago.

New Delhi:

Poverty in India has come down to below 5 per cent, claimed NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam citing the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES).

The survey, conducted between August 2022 and July 2023, provides insights into household consumption, highlighting poverty levels and the effectiveness of poverty alleviation measures implemented by the government. Mr Subrahmanyam said that the survey’s data on household consumption is a key metric for evaluating the success of poverty reduction initiatives.

The HCES findings reveal an increase in consumption, with both rural and urban areas experiencing a surge of about 2.5 times. The average monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) in urban households rose by 33.5 per cent since 2011-12 to Rs 3,510, while rural India witnessed a significant 40.42 per cent increase, reaching Rs 2,008.

“Based on this data, poverty levels in the country could be closer to 5% or less,” Mr Subrahmanyam said, as per a TOI report. 

One of the key observations from the survey is the shift in spending patterns, particularly in terms of food expenditure. Rural households, for the first time, allocated less than 50 per cent of their total expenditure to food, according to the survey.

The survey claims that the urban-rural consumption divide has narrowed from 91% in 2004-05 to 71% in 2022-23, signifying a reduction in inequality.

“In food, consumption of beverages, processed food, milk and fruits is growing – an indication of more diverse and balanced consumption,” Mr Subrahmanyam said

Mr Subrahmanyam claimed that benefits like healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and free education were not factored into the survey, suggesting that destitution and deprivation have nearly disappeared.
 

“The area under cultivation of various millets in India has been declining and the underlying reasons behind it could be attributed to the promotion of rice and wheat vis-a-vis millet production and lack of suitable initiatives towards millets,” a Niti Aayog report said.

The government think tank NITI Aayog released a report on April 26 titled Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices across States, UTs of India. Millets which were once an integral part of the Indian diet have been almost forgotten due to various demand and supply challenges.

India produces all the nine commonly known traditional millets viz. Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little Millet, Barnyard Millet, Brown top Millet and Kodo Millet. Millets are also the most secure crops for small farmers as they are resilient and climate-adaptable in both hot and drought environments.

Millets are nutritionally superior to other food grains owing to their higher protein levels and a more balanced amino acid profile. Millets also contain various phytochemicals which exert therapeutic properties owing to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties.

“The reasons for the decline can be attributed to the promotion of rice and wheat vis-a-vis millet production and lack of suitable initiatives towards millets…” the Niti Aayog report stated.

“Despite the benefits of growing millets, over the years, Indian farmers have made a slow but steady shift in their cereal growing preferences away from millets,” it further stated.” The total area of cropland harvesting the three major millet crops i.e. jowar, bajra and ragi grown in India has almost halved across the country since 1966,” it said, adding thousands of hectares of land under millet production have shifted to other crops.

The Niti Aayog in its report also put out area, production, and crop yield data for some of the major millets during the 2010-11 to 2020-21 period. Data showed the area under cultivation (or acreage) for finger millet (ragi), small millets, pearl millet (Bajra), and Sorghum (Jowar) combined, declined from 19,055 hectares in 2010-11 to 13,633 hectares, with a decline of 3% CAGR. Their production declined from 19,996 tonnes to 18,020 tonnes per cent CAGR. However, yield per hectare rose more than 2% to 1,322 kg.

“The low margins associated with millet production, vis-a-vis other crops, have created disincentives for millet farmers. The relatively shorter shelf life of the crops creates storage-related concerns and gives rise to risks of spoilage,” the report said. Further, it said changes in lifestyle and consumer tastes, coupled with the unavailability of ready-to-eat millets have contributed to lower demand.

Considering the potential nutritional role of millets in public health, the Central government declared millets as Nutri-Cereals in 2018 and celebrated the National Year of Millets in 2018. The government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution for declaring the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets and the proposal of India was supported by 72 countries.

India being the largest producer of millets and proposer of the International Year of Millets-2023, the Niti Aayog report called for a greater need for India to exercise the leadership in reviving millets through scaling up and replicating the millets value chain in other countries to leverage the emerging demand from global markets.

Recently, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has directed its agency National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) to promote the ‘International Year of Millets 2023’ on a global scale.Accordingly, NAFED has started extending marketing linkage to millet-centric startups, setting up a millet corner in NAFED Bazaar Retail Stores, and installing of millet vending machines across Delhi NCR.

Minister Tomar said all Central Ministries, and State governments including leading food and beverage industries, both public and private, should pitch in. India held its first mega-global event Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in Delhi to celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM).

The aim of the United Nations to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets on India’s initiative is to elevate awareness of millets for food security and nutrition, enhance investment in R&D and extension, and inspire stakeholders towards improving production, productivity and quality of millets.

A ministerial round table of millets was held post-inaugural session of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in New Delhi in March. Ministers from Guyana, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname and Zambia; Permanent Secretary, Agriculture of Gambia and Maldives and Director General, Millets Initiative, Nigeria participated in the meeting.