Rajiv Gauba: Steering India’s Reform Engine

Rajiv Gauba’s elevation to head two high-powered Groups of Ministers signals a bold reform push—steering India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 journey with regulatory clarity and administrative depth, says J P Gupta

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi handpicked Rajiv Gauba, a seasoned bureaucrat and NITI Aayog member, to head two powerful Groups of Ministers (GoM), the message was clear—India’s reform push is entering high gear. These committees are not just administrative bodies; they are the nerve centres of the government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and the next wave of regulatory reforms.
Gauba is no stranger to complex reform. From reorganising Jammu & Kashmir as Home Secretary to driving policy coordination as Cabinet Secretary, his career reflects an ability to handle big-ticket governance with precision and calm authority. Now, with oversight of ministries spanning security, infrastructure, and energy as part of NITI Aayog, he is uniquely placed to translate vision into executable policy.

The Twin Mandates

Viksit Bharat 2047 Panel – tasked with shaping India’s long-term strategy to achieve developed nation status by its Independence centenary.
Regulatory Reform Panel – focused on cutting red tape in the non-financial sector, boosting competitiveness, and spurring innovation.
Each committee brings together heavyweight secretaries from DPIIT, Expenditure, MSME, and Power, alongside industry voices like CII, FICCI, Assocham and experts such as Pawan Goenka, Manish Sabharwal, and Janmejay Sinha. The design ensures policy depth, industry alignment, and cross-sector credibility.
Strategic Stakes
This structure isn’t just about paperwork. It signals a whole-of-government approach—with Gauba’s groups working in tandem with parallel ministerial panels led by Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, and state-level deregulation drives under Cabinet Secretary TVS Swaminathan. The aim is a reform juggernaut moving in sync across the Centre and states.
The outcome? Faster reforms, lighter compliance, and greater private-sector trust.
Analysts see it as a “continuity-with-change” strategy—relying on tested administrators to carry forward politically critical agendas.

What Lies Ahead If these committees succeed, India could witness a smoother regulatory climate, quicker industrial decisions, and a clear roadmap to 2047. Gauba’s steady hand will be tested, but his appointment suggests the government is betting on technocratic leadership to navigate a politically charged reform decade.