CURRENT AFFAIRS | 12 JUNE 2026
The wheels of cooperative federalism turned in New Delhi on Thursday as PM Narendra Modi chaired the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog. The headline idea: bring planning down to the district level, treating each district as the basic unit of growth, and push reforms that tackle challenges at the grassroots.
For CLAT aspirants, NITI Aayog is a recurring favourite because it sits at the intersection of Polity and Governance. Knowing its non-statutory character, its composition and how it differs from constitutional bodies like the Inter-State Council can fetch easy, reliable marks.
This meeting also surfaced the energy debate, with Chief Ministers pressing for affordable, reliable power and expanded rooftop solar. It is a snapshot of Centre-state collaboration in action.
What Happened
Chairing the Council, PM Narendra Modi called for district-level GDP estimates and growth-oriented reforms, emphasising women-led development and One District One Product (ODOP). The district, he argued, should become the unit of planning so that grassroots challenges are addressed with precision.
Chief Ministers including D.K. Shivakumar (Karnataka), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), Nayab Singh Saini (Haryana) and Rekha Gupta (Delhi) joined the deliberations. Several CMs sought affordable, reliable energy and discussed spreading rooftop solar across hospitals, schools and government buildings. Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy pitched for an “M-6 Task Force” to support growth engines.
- 11th Governing Council Meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
- Call for district-level GDP estimates, with the district as the unit of planning.
- Emphasis on women-led development and One District One Product (ODOP).
- CMs pressed for affordable energy and wider rooftop solar adoption.
- NITI Aayog: executive think-tank, set up 1 Jan 2015, replacing the Planning Commission.
Constitutional / Legal Framework
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is an executive body created by a Cabinet resolution on 1 January 2015, replacing the Planning Commission. It is neither statutory nor constitutional. Its Governing Council comprises the PM (Chair), all Chief Ministers, UT Lieutenant Governors, ex-officio members and the Vice-Chairman/CEO. It promotes cooperative and competitive federalism. Contrast it with the Inter-State Council (Article 263) and the Finance Commission (Article 280), both constitutional bodies.
CLAT Angle
For CLAT 2027, the most testable points are NITI Aayog’s non-statutory, non-constitutional status, its replacement of the Planning Commission (2015), and its composition. A classic trap pairs it with Article 263 (Inter-State Council) or Article 280 (Finance Commission) to test whether you can spot the constitutional vs executive distinction. ODOP and cooperative/competitive federalism are quick-recall keywords.
Key Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | 11th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting |
| Chair | PM Narendra Modi (ex-officio Chairperson) |
| Established | 1 January 2015 (replaced Planning Commission) |
| Status | Executive think-tank (non-statutory/non-constitutional) |
| Key theme | District as unit of planning; ODOP; women-led growth |
| Federalism | Cooperative & competitive |
| Contrast bodies | Inter-State Council (Art 263); Finance Commission (Art 280) |
Mnemonic / Memory Hook
“NITI = New (2015), Institution Think-tank, Inter-state cooperation, District planning.” To remember it is NOT constitutional: “NITI has no Article” (unlike 263 and 280). PM is always the Chair.
Conclusion
The 11th Governing Council Meeting reaffirmed NITI Aayog’s role as the engine room of cooperative federalism, taking planning closer to the district. For aspirants, it is a clean, high-yield Polity topic that rewards crisp factual recall.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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