Economist And Ex CEA Ashok Lahiri Set To Take Over As Niti Aayog Vice Chairman

Lahiri was appointed CEA in December 2002 by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He continued under the UPA rule under late PM Manmohan Singh. He finally demitted the office of CEA in 2007. 

Lahiri who has closely worked with various ministries while playing a key role in carving fiscal and economic policies as CEA that led to a high growth era is expected to make a difference as the Niti Aayog VC.

Two people who worked with him told The Secretariat that Lahiri’s political outlook has never interfered in his work. “He is a thorough professional, extremely inclusive in approach and a doer,” one of them said.

The affable Lahiri, who has also served the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, decided not to contest the ongoing state elections. 

Apart from IMF and World Bank, Lahiri was also appointed Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank.

He joined the BJP in 2021. 

The well known economist will replace Suman Bery, who is currently serving as Niti Aayog Vice Chairman. 

His appointment comes at a crucial juncture. The Niti Aayog will have to bear much of the responsibilities of steering the country through a crucial phase amid rising geopolitical and geoeconomic risks driven by the US-Isreal war on Iran. 

Besides Lahiri, Gobardhan Das, Director Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhopal has also been appointed member of the government’s think tank. A former member of BJP, Das contested the 2021 West Assembly election.

The Niti Aayog which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now have two people from West Bengal. 

In February this year, Nidhi Chhibber, a 1994 IAS officer was appointed as the acting Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog after BVR Subrahmanyam completed his tenure. 

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet assigned her additional charge until a regular appointment is made or until further orders.

Last year, the longest serving Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, a 1982 batch IAS officer from the Jharkhand cardre was appointed member of Niti Aayog.