Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed as Niti Aayog member

Renowned farm expert Professor Ramesh Chand has been appointed as new member of Niti Aayog.

Chand has been working as Director of National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP) here, since 2010.

"The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of Prof Ramesh Chand as full-time member in the Niti Aayog," a notification issued by Cabinet Secretariat said.

He is also a member of a task force on agriculture development under Niti Aayog.

The task force headed by Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagriya, which was formed in March this year, is mandated to recommend strategies for re-invigorating agriculture in all its aspects and to formulate strategies for reforms, innovation and technology diffusion.

Chand has also headed a government panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Besides Chand, economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat are other two full-time members.

The National Institute of Transforming India or NITI Aayog, which replaced Planning Commission, is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.