Maharashtra has become the first state to have a Niti Aayog-like think tank called Mitra —Maharashtra Institution for Transformation. The state cabinet approved a proposal to this effect on Thursday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be the chairman of a regulatory board. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be co-chairman.

The vice-president's position will be occupied by an expert. A Chief Executive Officer will head Mitra's executive board. The Centre had asked all states to establish a Niti Aayog-like planning body as part of an idea for transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. The target is to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2025-26. The country planners have the aim of achieving goals of sustainable development by 2030.