Planning Commission snippets

The government reconstituted the Planning Commission, expectedly asking Montek Singh Ahluwalia to continue as the deputy chairman, while naming three new members to the apex planning body. The new members are Saumitra Chaudhuri, a former member of the PM’s economic panel, Narendra Jadhav, honorary vice-chancellor of Pune University, and Mihir Shah, secretary of Samaj Pragati Sahayog. Among those retained in the reconstituted body are Abhijit Sen, who was looking after agriculture and state finances, Syeda Hameed, dealing with health and women’s issues, and former cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi. Members of the outgoing commission who were not retained include renowned economist Kirit Parikh, V L Chopra, B Mungekar, B N Yugandhar and Anwarul Hoda. Ahluwalia said the commission would meet all ministers soon and take their suggestions, adding that issues spelt out in the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament would be accorded top priority. Ahluwalia said the plan panel would focus on infrastructure development and inclusive growth. “President’s address has given much emphasis on infrastruture... When we say growth it is inclusive growth. We will have to strengthen the infrastructure,’’ he told reporters. On his re-appointment, Ahluwalia said, “it is a great honour to be asked to serve again and I look forward to getting down to work with new members of the commission.’’ Ahluwalia and other members of the earlier panel had submitted their resignations to the PM on completion of the last government’s term. The eight full-time members of the outgoing commission were Kirit Parikh, Abhijit Sen, V L Chopra, B Mungekar, Syeda Hameed, B N Yugandhar, Anwarul Hoda and B K Chaturvedi. Ahluwalia, who becomes the first deputy chairman of planning commission to retain the post, would enjoy a Cabinet rank, while the other members would be on a par with ministers of state. Former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan may also be named as member, though he did not figure in the initial list that came out on Friday. Kasturirangan is now a member of the Rajya Sabha. The planning commission is headed by the PM. The newly-constituted planning commission will also provide inputs to the Budget for 2009-10 which is likely to be tabled in Parliament during the first week of July. The other important task before the new panel would be to undertake a mid-term review of the ambitious eleventh plan that aimed at raising the economic growth to 9% during the plan period (2007-12).