PM Modi asks new NITI Aayog team to craft ideas to improve lives of India's poorest

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday nudged the new leadership team at the NITI Aayog to generate transformative ideas that can substantially enhance the ease of living for people at the bottom, besides touching upon the long-term developmental goals for the country.

During his two-hour interaction with the Aayog's vice chairman Ashok Lahiri, CEO Anurag Jain and other members, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to collaborate and cooperate with top research and academic institutions, as well as state governments, to take up initiatives that can make a difference at the ground level, said an official aware of the deliberations.

The PM, who is the chairman of the Aayog, directed the government's public policy think tank to continue focusing on aspirational districts, aspirational blocks and marginalised people, urging the top officials to go out and do a reality check on the ground, according to people with knowledge of the matter. They said the PM briefly touched on the need for employment generation to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend, the creation of world-class infrastructure and the strengthening of domestic capabilities across manufacturing and technology-driven sectors.


The meeting gains significance as the government begins shaping priorities for the 2027-28 budget amid global uncertainties. The new leadership team at the Aayog has taken charge at a time when India is seeking to strengthen domestic manufacturing, improve infrastructure and expand employment opportunities.

Members Rajiv Gauba, R Balasubramaniam, Joram Aniya, KV Raju, M Srinivas, Gobardhan Das and Abhay Karandikar attended the meeting. While the PM regularly chairs the annual governing council meetings or discusses the budget with economists at the Aayog, a visit specific to meeting with its officials is rare.

The Niti Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission in January 2015, works with central ministries, state governments and other stakeholders to develop strategies for inclusive and sustainable development while promoting cooperative federalism.