New Update
Arvind Panagariya resigns as Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog. With plans to return to Columbia University, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman and noted economist Arvind Panagariya relinquish his post today. Said he will leave the government think tank and go back to Columbia University.The sudden announcement raised speculation that his relationship with the Prime Minister’s office was not warm. With a complete denial Panagariya denied the rumour and said everything was cordial with the PMO."I have always shared good relations with Reserve Bank, Finance Ministry, and Prime Minister's Office," he said. "If I were at 40, then I would have got job anywhere...the kind of job I have at Columbia is almost impossible to get at this age," he added.Panagariya will remain in office till August 31st, completing two years and eight months. He said he had expressed his desired to PM about two months ago.
He was the first vice chairman of NITI Aayog on Jan 5, 2015.Panagariya initiated the move for privatization of Air India, prepared the three-year action agenda for the Modi government, a document which replaced the five-year plan with more concrete and short-term suggestions.He had also worked with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities. Panagariya was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in the country, in 2012.Doubts are also raised as Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram tweeted on Tuesday that, "After predicting that growth in Q4 of 2017-18 will touch 8%, Mr Panagariya has wisely resigned before proved wrong,"
—PTC News-