Anurag Jain Appointed as New CEO of NITI Aayog
IAS officer and Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary to lead the government's policy think tank for a two-year term
New Delhi, July 23: The Central Government on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer Anurag Jain as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog, entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the country’s premier public policy think tank for the next two years. Jain, a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, is currently serving as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh.
His appointment fills the vacancy that had existed since the completion of former CEO BVR Subrahmanyam’s tenure in February this year. During the interim period, the policy institution functioned without a full-time chief executive while the government finalized its leadership transition.
Anurag Jain brings decades of administrative and policymaking experience across several key ministries and departments of the Government of India. Over the years, he has played important roles in financial inclusion, infrastructure planning, industrial development and governance reforms, making him one of the most experienced bureaucrats to head NITI Aayog.
Earlier in his career, Jain served in the Department of Financial Services, where he was associated with the rollout of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the flagship financial inclusion programme launched to expand access to banking services across the country.
Following his tenure in the finance sector, he worked in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), contributing to policy coordination and implementation of major government initiatives. He later served as the Vice Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), overseeing urban planning and development projects in the national capital.
Jain also held a significant role in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), where he contributed to the implementation of PM Gati Shakti, the government’s integrated infrastructure planning initiative aimed at improving connectivity and accelerating economic development through coordinated planning across sectors.
Before becoming Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary, he served as Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, where he was involved in the execution of major national highway and transport infrastructure projects.
His appointment comes shortly after the reconstitution of NITI Aayog, which has seen changes in its top leadership. The institution recently welcomed a new Vice Chairman and new members, while senior bureaucrat Rajiv Gauba continues to remain associated with the organisation.
As CEO, Jain will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of NITI Aayog’s policy agenda, coordinating with states and Union Territories, and supporting the government’s long-term development strategy across sectors such as infrastructure, digital governance, manufacturing, innovation, sustainability and social development.
NITI Aayog serves as the government’s principal policy advisory body and plays a key role in promoting cooperative federalism, monitoring flagship programmes and formulating strategies for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
With his extensive administrative background and experience in executing large-scale national initiatives, Anurag Jain is expected to strengthen the institution’s role in driving policy reforms and supporting India’s long-term development priorities.
