Anuraj Jain: 5 Things to Know About Niti Aayog’s New CEO

Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Anurag Jain has been appointed as the new CEO of Niti Aayog. Officially confirmed by The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Jain takes the charge from immediate effect. Here are 5 key things you should know about Anurag Jain.

1. His Role at Niti Aayog

Upon joining as CEO at Niti Aayog, Jain will lead the government’s policy institutions. His responsibility will involve policymaking, coordination with state and central governments along with central ministries for the reforms at priority and driving flagship initiatives aligned with the government’s Viksit Bharat vision. He will also oversee NITI Aayog’s engagement with innovation and economic growth priorities across major sectors.

2. Journey So Far

Anurag is a veteran administrator with an experience of nearly 40 years. He is an IAS officer from the 1989 batch of Madhya Pradesh Cadre. Through his professional journey he has held several key positions at both centre and state governments. He has been recognized for handling critical assignments across infrastructure development, industrial policy, investment promotion and government reforms.

Jain also worked at the financial services department during the launch of PM Jan Dhan Scheme and later on moved to PMO before taking charge at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) as Vice Chairperson.

3. Why His Appointment Matters

Niti Aayog’s ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ (EEE) Standing Committee aims to align India’s education, skilling, and employment ecosystems to boost the services sector and prepare youth for future jobs. Jain’s career background in policy and investment promotion makes him a suitable candidate for the position.

4. Achievements in Governance

Anurag has achieved several milestones across his journey into governance. Jain led the design and implementation of the infrastructure planning initiative, ‘The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan’. He brought together 18 ministries. The initiative was rewarded as ‘Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2023’.

As Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, he aimed at attracting global and domestic investments. Furthermore, he also introduced initiatives like ‘Start Your Business in 30 Days’ to enhance the ease of doing business in the state. His other notable works include the establishment of an integrated industrial park, and focus on the public-private partnership model.

5. Vision & Mission

Anurag Jain’s vision and mission as a CEO is around the institution’s role driving the initiatives related to Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, economic reforms, digital governance, infrastructure development and manufacturing. His appointment is expected to bring reforms regarding India’s economic transformation and achieving long term goals.