SHIKHAR Mains 2023, Day 11 - Model Answer English

Q1. नीति आयोग की संरचना को स्पष्ट कीजिये | साथ ही नीति आयोग बनाम योजना आयोग के बीच अंतरों पर चर्चा कीजिए | 

Explain the structure of NITI Aayog. Also discuss the difference between NITI Aayog and Planning Commission. (12 Marks)

Approach  

·       Start with explaining the structure of NITI Aayog.

·       Further, expand the answer by discussing Planning Commission vs NITI Aayog.

·       Finally, conclude the answer with a way forward.

Answer -

NITI Aayog

Although the Planning Commission was initially playing the role of a think-tank in policy contexts, but in the course of time, various shortcomings were seen in it, which was amended on 1 January 2015 and the NITI Aayog was formed.  

Composition of NITI Aayog -

The NITI Aayog will comprise the following:

·        Prime Minister of India as the Chairperson

·       Governing Council comprising the Chief Ministers of all the States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories

·       Regional Councils will be formed to address specific issues and contingencies impacting more than one state or a region.  These will be formed for a specified tenure.  The Regional Councils will be convened by the Prime Minister and will comprise of the Chief Ministers of States and Lt. Governors of Union Territories in the region.  These will be chaired by the  Chairperson of the NITI Aayog or his nominee.

·       Experts, specialists and practitioners with relevant domain knowledge as special invitees nominated by the Prime Minister

The full-time organizational framework will comprise of, in addition to the Prime Minister as the Chairperson:

·       Vice-Chairperson: To be appointed by the Prime Minister

·       Members: Full-time 

·       Part-time members: Maximum of 2 from leading universities research organizations and other relevant institutions in an ex-officio capacity.  Part time members will be on a rotational basis.

·       Ex Officio members: Maximum of 4 members of the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime Minister. 

·       Chief Executive Officer : To be appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure, in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

·       Secretariat as deemed necessary.

For reference-  https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114273

Planning Commission Vs NITI Aayog

·       NITI Aayog is proving better than Planning Commission in the following ways:

·       Where the approach of the Planning Commission was top down, the NITI Aayog follows the bottom up approach.

·       NITI Aayog plays an advisory role with a scientific approach, so that planning can be improved.

·       The Planning Commission used to allocate funds in the official role (which later became the root of corruption), whereas NITI Aayog is helpful in planning through advisory role, which is based on technological innovation and data management.

·       NITI Aayog is using Big Data, Blockchain technology etc. setting new benchmarks of technological innovation in the public sector in India.

·       While the Planning Commission did not have proper participation from Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors, now they are members in NITI Aayog and are encouraging cooperative federalism.

·       Although the proportion of politicians and experts in the members of NITI Aayog has been the subject of criticism, but in the last five years, NITI Aayog has proved its importance through good governance, inclusion, financial management, etc.

        NITI Aayog should not be in the form of plan and non-plan, but in the form of independent revenue and capital expenditure. This increase in capital expenditure can bridge the infrastructure deficit at all levels in the economy.

Q2. सतत विकास लक्ष्य(SDGs) क्या हैं? भारत में सतत विकास लक्ष्य को पूरा करने के लिए किए जा रहे प्रयासों का उल्लेख कीजिये।    

What are Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Mention the measures taken to meet the Sustainable Development Goals in India. (12 Marks)

Approach:

·       In introduction explain the background of the SDGs along with the objectives of the goals.

·       Further, describe the efforts being made in India to fulfill these goals with examples. 

Answer:

              Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising on the interests of future generations. The concept of sustainable development was given by the World Commission on Environment and Development. In the 1992 Earth Summit, an action plan named Agenda 21 was adopted to achieve sustainable development. This was followed by Rio+10 (Johannesburg Conference)- 2002 with the goal of implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), 7 areas were identified on which priority can be given towards sustainable development. This document provided support for developing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Millennium Sustainable Development Goal 2030 to adopt a forward development agenda in place of the Millennium Development Goals (which ended in 2015). It aims to promote inclusive growth by ending poverty and hunger and ensuring gender equality from 2015 to 2030. In this, for the next 15 years (2015-2030) 17 goals and 169 objectives were fixed.

Efforts made by India to meet the Sustainable Development Goals:

·       India has signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

·       Promotion of clean environment and environmental protection through National Environment Policy 2006;

·       Constitution of NGT through National Green Tribunal Act 2010 to address environmental concerns;

·       Comprehensive policies and programs have been formulated to promote sustainable development in India. Under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach has been adopted by 8 sub-missions.

o   National Solar Mission- 100 GW of renewable solar power generation by 2022; Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects; Green Energy Corridors; International Solar Alliance etc.

o   National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency – target of saving 10000 MW of energy by 2022;

o   National Mission on Sustainable Habitat - focus on urban transport, energy efficiency, solid waste management etc.; Energy Conservation Building Code; Nectar; Smart City etc.;

o   National Water Mission - enhancing water use efficiency, basin management etc.;

o   National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

o   National Mission for a Green India- Afforestation;

o   National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

o   National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change;

Apart from this, more campaigns/programs have been launched to ensure sustainable development-

·       MANREGA

·       National Food Security Campaign

·       National Agricultural Development Scheme

·       Integrated Watershed Management Program

·       Perform Achieve Trade plan

·       Solar Rooftop Investment Program

·       Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana

·       street lighting program

·       Ayushman Bharat

·       Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and others.

             If India is to achieve the goals set in Agenda 2030, then such a policy will have to be made that harmonizes with the policies implemented in all sectors. At the same time, for the implementation of these policies at the administrative and grossroot level, attention will have to be given on co-ordination and participation. Significantly, we could not achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015, the main reason for this was that the implementation of the policies set to achieve these goals was not strong. If we achieve the goals of sustainable development by 2030, then India can become a developed and prosperous nation.