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New Delhi: The Indian government has officially restructured the Niti Aayog, appointing Ashok Kumar Lahiri as the new vice chairman. Alongside him, five full-time members have been designated, including notable figures such as economist K V Raju, AIIMS Director M Srinivas, and Abhay Karandikar, who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his hopes for a fruitful and impactful term for Lahiri and the newly appointed members, which also include scientist Gobardhan Das and former cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba.

In a message shared on 'X', Modi stated, "The Government has reconstituted the NITI Aayog. My best wishes to Shri Ashok Kumar Lahiri Ji on becoming the Vice Chairman. My best wishes also to Shri Rajiv Gauba Ji, Prof. K. V. Raju Ji, Prof. Gobardhan Das Ji, Prof. Abhay Karandikar Ji, and Dr. M. Srinivas Ji on becoming Full-Time Members of NITI Aayog. Wishing all of them a productive and impactful tenure ahead."

The Prime Minister highlighted the significance of NITI Aayog as a crucial component of India's policy-making framework, emphasizing its role in promoting cooperative federalism, advancing reforms, and enhancing the 'Ease of Living'.

"It acts as a vibrant platform for innovation and strategic long-term planning across various sectors," he added.

As the chairman of Niti Aayog, Modi welcomed Lahiri, who visited him shortly after his appointment. Lahiri, a BJP MLA from West Bengal, previously served as the chief economic advisor to the Government of India and was a member of the 15th Finance Commission. Notably, he is not participating in the current assembly elections in the state.