NITI Aayog vs. Planning Commission
Key Differences
The Planning Commission, chaired by the PM and functioning since 1950, allocated plan funds to states through Five Year Plans — a top-down, central directive model. NITI Aayog was designed to act as a think tank and policy advisory body, not as a fund-allocating authority. The Finance Commission and sector ministries took over resource allocation functions.
- Planning Commission (1950–2014): Prepared Five Year Plans, allocated plan expenditure to states; often criticised for over-centralisation in a liberalised, federal economy.
- NITI Aayog's shift: From input allocation to outcomes monitoring, policy research, and cooperative federalism.
- Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO): NITI Aayog's in-house arm for tracking programme outcomes.
- NITI Aayog does NOT distribute funds to states — this distinguishes it from the Planning Commission.
- Key initiatives: Aspirational Districts Programme, India Innovation Index, SDG India Index.
● Tracked since April 25, 2026 · last seen June 11, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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