The Hindu : National : Appointment of multilateral agencies on Planning Commission panels opposed

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Wednesday, Sep 08, 2004

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National

Appointment of multilateral agencies on Planning Commission panels opposed

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 7. Some civil society groups are questioning the recent appointment of representatives from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the U.S.-based Mckinsey consultancy on various Consultative Groups of the Planning Commission to advise on the Mid-Term Appraisal of the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-07).

Representatives of the South-Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People Manthan, Toxic Links and the Narmada Bachao Andolan have expressed concern at the development and are planning to approach the Planning Commission and other authorities against the decision. According to Himanshu Thakkar of the South-Asia Network on Dams, the multilateral funding agencies are all for "privatisation" and indirectly push the cause of Western corporate giants.

This is the first time that multilateral funding agencies have been directly appointed on the highest planning body of the country which steers the direction in which the country is taken in terms of economic development. It also approves funds for various socio-economic development projects. The orders were issued last fortnight.

`Intellectual bankruptcy'

The former Minister, Som Pal, who till recently was a member of the Planning Commission, said: "It is unprecedented that any foreign agency has been appointed on a formal panel of the Planning Commission. It just goes on to show that we are candidly accepting the fact that we are intellectually bankrupt and have no strategy of our own for economic development and are, therefore, banking on foreign advice.''

The Consultative Groups are mandated to review the Tenth Plan. They will sit on judgment on the appraisal notes prepared by the Ministries concerned and to review the draft material prepared by the Planning Commission on the Mid-Term Appraisal which was due this month. Sources said the Mid-Term Appraisal was in for a sharp policy turn under the United Progressive Alliance with more focus on privatisation and services.

John Briscoe, Senior Water Adviser in the World Bank, has been appointed on the Consultative Group on Water Resources. Alok Bansal of the World Bank is on the group on Transport. Vipul Tuli Mckinsey of Mckinsey and Company has been appointed on the group on Power and Energy. Pramath Sinha of Mckinsey is on the group on Higher and Technical Education and Gautam Kumra of the Mckinsey and Company is on the group on Health and Family Welfare.

Significantly, the Consultancy Group on Agriculture has two representatives from foreign agencies, including one from the Asian Development Bank and the other from Mckinsey and Company. The Asian Development Bank is also represented on the group on Financial Resources.

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