Q.In the following question, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a statement of Reason (R). Choose the correct alternative among those given below : Assertion (A) : NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission with new focus on the theme "Minimum Government, Maximum Governace". Reason (R) : The Planning Commission was criticised for its top-down approach to planning whereas NITI Aayog promotes a bottom-up cooperative federalism approach. (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
(C) Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false
(D) Assertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true

NITI Aayog's creation (with its 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance' theme) was a direct response to criticism of the Planning Commission's top-down approach, so R correctly explains A.

Assertion (A) is TRUE: in 2015, the Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), which adopted the theme 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance', signalling a shift towards a less centralised, more facilitative role for the central government.

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The Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog; Narendra Modi, as the Prime Minister when NITI Aayog was constituted on 1 January 2015, was its first Chairperson.

NITI Aayog was set up by a Cabinet resolution replacing the Planning Commission, to serve as the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs, with the PM as Chairperson, a Governing Council comprising state Chief Ministers/UT Lt. Governors, and a Vice- …