NEW DELHI: Noted economist, academician and Padma Bhushan Arvind Panagariya, 62, on Tuesday took charge as the first vice chairman of the newly constituted NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog. The Aayog replaces the 65-year old Socialist era planning body.
Panagariya is expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the Chairman of the Aayog, later in the day.
After being greeted by staff and officers of NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khuallar and other senior officials briefed the Vice-Chairman about the newly created body.
The Government had announced the appointment of Vice-Chairman, two- full time members, four ex-officio members (Union ministers) and three special invitees for the Aayog on January 5.
Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat were appointed as full-time members by the Prime Minister. They are expected to join shortly.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Suresh Prabhu and Radha Mohan Singh will be the ex-officio members, while their colleagues Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Zubin Irani and Thawar Chand Gehlot would be special invitees.
Panagariya is an Indian-American economist and Professor of Economics at Columbia University.