Economist Rajiv Kumar was re-appointed as the Vice Chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog on Thursday. The development assumes significance as Kumar's current term ends this month.

Accordingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the re-constitution of NITI Aayog, which will have scientist V.K. Saraswat, agricultural economist Ramesh Chand and Dr V.K. Paul as its full-time members, said the Cabinet Secretariat.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be among the ex-officio members of the institution.

On May 24, the Union Cabinet of the previous government resigned after the 17th Lok Sabha election. The tenure of the 16th Lok Sabha ended on June 3 (Monday). IANS