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POLICY
The Niti behind India Energy India’s think tank NITI Aayog has been instrumental in formulating favorable policies for the country. Not least is the recent initiative to structuralize energy storage – the key ingredient for the success of renewable energy.
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ITI Aayog, the National Institution for Transforming India, is the premier policy think tank of the government of India, providing both direction and policy inputs. It is also the platform of the GoI to bring States to act together in the national interest, and thereby foster cooperative federalism. Amitabh Kant is currently the CEO of NITI Aayog. He is a member of the Indian Administrative Service (Kerala Cadre: 1980 batch). Mr Kant was instrumental in ideating the MOVE Mobility Summit in New Delhi in September 2018, organized by the NITI Aayog. Due to the rapid growth in India’s urbanization, population and wealth over the last few decades, mobility of its citizens has come under severe strain. The summit focused on electrification, alternative fuels, reinventing public transport, goods transport and logistics. Over 2200 participants from government, industry, academia, civil society, think tanks
and media set the base for a safe, clean, shared affordable, accessible and inclusive transport system. Connect Bharat - One clear imperative for the mobility paradigm was to build Safe, Adequate and Holistic Infrastructure (SAHI) for all citizens, including women, elderly and disabled. A 3C approach, along with key pillars and enablers, if executed effectively and with holistic advancement would support India with a mobility landscape that would be clean, convenient and congestionfree. The thinking here being that mobility is what keeps the engine of life running. At the power-packed Energy Storage India 2019 in New Delhi, Mr Kant spoke at the ‘Make in India’ session, saying: “We have proposed to the Chief Secretaries of the States that there should be no road tax for EVs and issuing green permit for EVs. When the EV revolution happens, India would be impacted in the
Amitabh Kant, CEO – NITI Aayog | September-October 2020
biggest way. These initiatives are being taken to bring the ownership cost of EVs at par with combustion Mr. Kant has been a key driver of the Make in India, Startup India, Incredible India and God’s Own Country initiatives that positioned India and Kerala State as leading manufacturing and tourism destinations. These campaigns have won several international awards and embraced a host of activities – infrastructure development, product enhancement, private-public partnership and positioning and branding based on extensive market research. Mr Kant also conceptualized the Atithi Devo Bhavah – ‘Guest is God’ campaign to train taxi drivers, guides, immigration officials and make them stake holders in the tourism development process. He was also the National Project Director of the Rural Tourism Project of UNDP which made a paradigm shift in spreading tourism to Indian villages which are the at the heart of Indian handicrafts, handloom and culture. He has also authored a book called Branding India - An Incredible Story. In his capacity as Secretary (Industries) GoI, Mr. Kant drove the Ease of Doing Business initiative and ranking of States on outcome parameters. He is the Chairman of the Committee to implement Digital Payment in India. Mr. Kant has been the recipient of Economic Time Policy Change Agent of the Year Award, the Bloomberg TV Personality of the year Award, the NDTV Administrator of the year award and the Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Directors. He is the recipient of One Globe Award-2016 for leadership in Transforming Governance for the 21st Century. He is a Member of the Steering Board of Shaping the Future of Production Systems of World Economic Forum. He is also the recipient of Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship award by the Prime Minister of New Zealand. He received the Golden Peacock Award for leadership in Economic Transformation - 2017.
