Panagariya takes charge as Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog

Talking business from the word go, NITI Aayog's first Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya today suggested making India a zero-tariff country -- soon after taking charge at the newly-created government think-tank.
Later in the day, he also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog).
Assuming office with an 'empty table', the free-market economist said he does not need a heap of files as a laptop can do the job today, and held a candid interaction with the young officials at the newly-constituted institution that has replaced six-decade old socialist era's Planning Commission.

He is believed to have communicated his 'frank and candid views' on a host of subjects including the subsidies given to those who don not need it and the five-year planning system, one of the key functions of the erstwhile Planning Commission.
Panagariya put his bag himself on the scanner for security check while entering the 'NITI Aayog' building, which was known as 'Yojana Bhawan' before Planning Commission made way for the new institution, which the government has set up as a 'Think Tank for Government' and to provide policy advice to the central and state governments.
NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar and other senior officials briefed Panagaria, before his interaction with the young professionals in the Aayog.

Panagariya, who has been a vocal supporter of Gujarat model of development, expressed hope that India could be a zero-tariff country and take advantage of the global trade by manufacturing goods at competitive prices while benefiting from cheap labour availability.

He has earlier been the Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and Professor of Economics and Co-director, Centre for International Economics, University of Maryland in the US.
Holding a Ph.D Degree in Economics from Princeton University, Panagariya, a close associate of well-known trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, has also worked for the World Bank, IMF, WTO, and the UNCTAD in various capacities.

The government has also announced appointments of two full-time members, 4 ex-officio members (Union ministers) and 3 special invitees for the Aayog.
Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat have been appointed as full-time members by the Prime Minister. They are expected to join shortly.