Professor M.V Rajeev Gowda has been appointed the Vice Chairperson with cabinet rank of the State Institute For The Transformation of Karnataka (SITK). 

SITK was previously known as the State Planning Board and is Karnataka’s equivalent of the NITI Aayog. The Chief Minister is the Chairperson of SITK.

Gowda is a public policy expert, economist, and academician. He represented Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha between 2014-20. He is Chairman of the Indian National Congress’s Research Department. He was the convener of its manifesto committee for the 2019 election and is a national spokesperson. 

Earlier, he was Chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy and Professor of Economics and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He has served as a Director on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India.

Professor Gowda said, “This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the creation of a unique Karnataka Model of Development under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.”

Gowda has a BA from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, an MA in Economics from Fordham University, and a PhD in Public Policy and Management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma.

SITK’s mandate is to formulate policy strategies and evaluate program outcomes. It works with multiple departments to promote Karnataka’s socio-economic development. It is a hub of innovation, e.g., its SITK Changemakers Programme focuses on feasible and scalable solutions to priority problems. 

SITK also has a special focus on helping Karnataka achieve various Sustainable Development Goals. Given his domain knowledge and policy expertise, Gowda is expected to ensure engagement and constructive coordination across government departments and with external experts.