iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The Indian Government has appointed retired bureaucrat Parameswaran Iyer as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog for a period of two years, an official notification said.
NITI Aayog is the Indian government’s top think tank, and had replaced the erstwhile Planning Commission once incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected into power in 2014.
Iyer will replace Amitabh Kant, and his tenure will begin on July 1. A government notification said, “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Parameswaran Iyer, IAS (UP:81), Retd as Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog after Amitabh Kant upon completion of his tenure on 30.06.2022 for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable in respect of Amitabh Kant.”
Iyer is a former Secretary of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and spearheaded the government’s Swachh Bharat Mission between 2016 and 2020.
Born in 1959 in Srinagar, Iyer joined the civil service in 1981 in the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He held various prominent posts in the state and led the World Bank-assisted Uttar Pradesh Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Project, popularly known as Swajal. He also served two stints at the World Bank as water and sanitation expert.
Kant was appointed as the NITI Aayog CEO on February 17, 2016 for a period of two years. Since then, he got three one-year extensions. During his five-year stint at NITI Aayog, Kant spearheaded several key government programs including the Centre’s Electric Mobility Mission, National Monetization Pipeline, Aspirational District Program, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, Ease of Doing Business Program, Start-up India and the Island Development Program.
Parameswaran Iyer appointed India’s NITI Aayog CEO
