Delhi to develop ‘Diti Aayog’ on lines of ‘Niti Aayog’: CM

Delhi will set up a "DITI Aayog" for focused policy-making, alongside new initiatives for drones, semiconductors, and AI to boost innovation and economy.

Delhi will soon establish a “DITI Aayog” – Delhi Institutional Think Tank for Innovation – on the lines of the NITI Aayog to develop focused policies for the national capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced in her budget speech on Tuesday.

CM Rekha Gupta announced that the body will work to make policy-making more focused and Delhi-centric. (Representative photo)

Gupta announced that the body will work to make policy-making more focused and Delhi-centric.

“It is an institutional think tank for innovation. It will work toward taking Delhi forward. To make policy-making more focused and Delhi-centric, a DITI Commission will be established on the lines of NITI Aayog,” Gupta said.

Officials aware of the matter said the body will have senior government officials and experts across sectors as members.

The chief minister also announced policies to position Delhi as a hub for drones and semiconductors.

A policy on drones is being drafted with a proposed outlay of ₹1 crore to attract investments, support startups, and generate employment, she said. She also announced that a semiconductor policy with a similar outlay will promote semiconductor design, innovation, and technology development.

HT had reported about the government working on framing this policy.

Former Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena had directed the Delhi chief secretary to explore replicating drone policies from Telangana and Himachal Pradesh following a deadly blast at the Red Fort in November last year.

Additionally, she also proposed an outlay of ₹8.2 crore in budget estimates (BE) 2026-27 for establishing two Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence (AI-CoEs). These will act as dedicated hubs for AI research, innovation, startup incubation, and capacity building, focusing on developing AI-based solutions for governance and key sectors such as healthcare, education, urban mobility, and public service delivery.

The CM also said strengthening the logistics and warehousing sector is essential to accelerate Delhi’s economy. She announced a new Warehousing Policy with ₹10 crore allocated.

She said MSMEs are the backbone of Delhi’s economy, and prioritised their skill development and digital integration. Under the RAMP scheme, 32,000 MSMEs will receive training, and 15,000 businesses will be linked to GeM and ONDC to access national and global markets, she said.

During the AAP government’s tenure, the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission (DDDC) was created as a policy think-tank manned by domain experts, on the lines of the planning commission, to provide inputs of governance. The then LG Saxena had dissolved it triggering a tussle with the AAP government.