The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for nomination of Chief Executive Officer, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog as a part-time Member of the Telecom Commission in place of Secretary, Planning Commission which is Non-existent now.

The participation of Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog in the meetings of Telecom Commission will lend value to the deliberations of the Commission, because the NITI Aayog has been mandated to serve as a Think Tank of the Government.

Background:

The Telecom Commission was set up by the Government of India vide Resolution dated 11th April, 1989 with administrative and financial powers of GoI to promote rapid development in all aspects of telecommunications.

Before supersession of the Planning Commission, the Telecom Commission was composed of a Chairman [Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications], four full time members [Member (Finance), Member (Production), Member (Services) & Member (Technology)] and four part time members [Secretary (Department of Electronics & Information Technology), Secretary (Department of Economic Affairs), Secretary (Planning Commission) & Secretary (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion)].

After supersession of the Planning Commission and its replacement by the NITI Aayog, only three part time Members were left with the Telecom commission.

In order to lend values to the deliberations of the Telecom Commission, a need was being felt to introduce the CEO, NITI Aayog as its part-time Member because the NITI Aayog has been mandated to serve as a Think Tank of the Government.

Part-time membership: NITI Aayog CEO nominated to restore Telecom Commission's part-time composition and policy input. Cabinet approves nomination of the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog as a part-time Member of the Telecom Commission replacing the Planning Commission Secretary vacancy, to restore the Commission's part-time membership and to bring NITI Aayog's think-tank policy inputs into Telecom Commission deliberations.