The Hindu : National : Montek Singh Ahluwalia gets going on budget

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004

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National

Montek Singh Ahluwalia gets going on budget

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 21. With the general budget slated for July 8, the Deputy Chairman-designate of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has already started working on it. Though he is to take up charge on July 1, after his resignation from the International Monetary Fund is formalised, Dr. Ahluwalia today had a three-hour meeting with all the Advisers in the Commission. The Commission suggests to the Finance Ministry the quantum of gross budgetary support that is needed for the Central ministries and the States so that allocations could be made in the budget.

Commission sources, however, clarified that Dr. Ahluwalia did not issue any direction or announce any decision. Instead, he updated himself with the progress of the Tenth Five-Year Plan. He also reviewed the presentations by the Advisers on various sectors of the economy and suggested that brief notes be drawn up on the policy interventions required for each sector.

Another suggestion is to begin the budget discussions with the ministries in July-August, instead of waiting for November-December when such discussions are normally held between the Commission and the ministries. Dr. Ahluwalia told the Commission that most of the newly appointed members would join office soon and they should be apprised of the quarterly progress review of individual sectors of the economy.

He also wanted the Commission's evaluation reports to be publicised and called for a status paper on the progress achieved by the four sub-committees of the National Development Council formed last year.

The sub-committees have been empowered to deal with subjects such as e-governance, lifting of inter-State trade barriers, creation of an investor-friendly environment and panchayati raj institutions.

Dr. Ahluwalia had a meeting with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, today and is scheduled to meet the Chairman of the 12th Finance Commission, C. Rangarajan, tomorrow, before leaving for Washington.

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