Staff grapple with transition problems in NITI Aayog

Without a clearly defined structure, function and role, officers are facing teething trouble, even as NITI Aayog is set to start working.

The announcement on replacing the Planning Commission with a National Institution for Transforming India Aayog caught many staffer at Yojana Bhawan unawares. The building housing the new NITI Aayog is still known by its old name in popular parlance, though its official name is set to change.

Without a clearly defined structure, function and role, officers are facing teething trouble, even as NITI Aayog is set to start working.

"In the past few days, we have not signed any Cabinet note which has been sent to the Planning Commission for vetting, as the commission does not exist, while the role of NITI Aayog is still not clearly defined," says a senior official, who works in the infrastructure department.

He says although officials have started preparing to welcome the vice-chairman and members, they would have preferred some clarity on the functions and the role of the new body.

"I think most things will start settling from next week, when the functions get clearly defined," the official adds.

A Cabinet resolution issued by the government on January 1 does not clearly lay down the fine print of the NITI Aayog, though it gives a broad idea. Arvind Panagariya, the vice-chairman, will take charge next week, followed by other members.

The new body, like its predecessor, will be headed by the Prime Minister.

On Friday, the nameplate of the erstwhile Commission on the railings of Yojana Bhawan was pulled down and replaced with NITI Aayog.

The old website of the Planning Commission has been archived.

"All this is fine, but we don't know how to spell and name the new organisation," another official remarks.

The name 'NITI Aayog' has both institution and commission in it. While Aayog stands for 'commission', one of the 'I's in NITI is for institution. The new board is in Hindi, which translates into 'policy commission'.

"We had thought of ordering some letterheads for the new body, but had to drop the idea as there is some lack of clarity as to how exactly the name should be spelt," says an official.

According to another official, the post of Minister of State for Planning (independent charge) Rao Inderjit Singh also needs to be clarified.

"When the Planning Commission does not exist, what will happen to the 'planning' in the minister's post?" he asks.

Similar is the fate of officials with the project appraisal and management division in the erstwhile commission.

They say there are many big infrastructure projects handled by both the Centre and state governments and the division acted as a balance between conflicting interests.

It's structure will have to be reworked and they are waiting.

CONFUSION APLENTY

• An official at the commission says although all preparations are on to welcome the vice-chairman and members, they would have preferred if there was some clarity on the functions and the role of the new body
• The name NITI Aayog has both institution and commission in it. While Aayog stands for 'commission', one of the 'I's in NITI is for institution. The new board is in Hindi, which translates into 'policy commission'. So they don't know how to spell the name
• The post of Minister of State for Planning (independent charge) Rao Inderjit Singh also needs to be clarified
• Officials with the project appraisal and management division in the erstwhile commission also need to know about their role

Image: The old Yojana Bhavan; Photograph: PTI