Previous Year Question

NITI Aayog is the national-level nodal institution responsible for coordinating, implementing, and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India. It works in coordination with various Union Ministries, State Governments, and Union Territories to achieve sustainable development targets. NITI Aayog also emphasises the localisation of these goals through cooperative and competitive federalism.

The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by United Nations Member States in September 2015 and came into effect on 1 January 2016. They comprise 17 Goals and 169 Targets to be achieved by 2030. These cover social, economic, and environmental issues such as ending poverty and hunger, quality education, gender equality, clean water, clean energy, climate action, and economic development.

NITI Aayog released the first edition of the SDG India Index in December 2018. This index evaluates the progress of States and Union Territories towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) plays an important role in developing the National Indicator Framework (NIF) and monitoring progress through relevant statistical data.

NITI Aayog was established on 1 January 2015, replacing the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission had been established on 15 March 1950. Among the other options, the Disinvestment Commission was concerned with the disinvestment of government equity in public-sector enterprises, whereas the Finance Commission is a constitutional body constituted under Article 280 of the Constitution, responsible for recommending the distribution of financial resources between the Union and the States.