The Hindu : National : Outsiders only to give inputs: Montek

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 09, 2004

National

National

Outsiders only to give inputs: Montek

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 8. In a sharp reaction to the Left parties' criticism of including representatives of multilateral funding agencies in consultative groups of the Planning Commission, the Deputy Chairman of the panel, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said their involvement had nothing to do with the ``actual working'' of the Commission.

``There is no representation of outside bodies in the actual working of the Planning Commission. The work of the Commission will be done by us. We will take the decisions and make the recommendations,'' Dr. Ahluwalia told presspersons here.

The groups have been set up to provide inputs for the mid-term appraisal of the Tenth Plan. ``The logic is to provide opportunities to hear the opinions of the outsiders on the progress of the Plan schemes and effectiveness of policies,'' he said.

``In broad ranging groups like these it is appropriate to have multilateral institutions,'' he said. The issue was ``extremely important in order to open the Plan process and create possibilities for interaction among the different stakeholders across sectors.''

The Commission had earlier set up 19 consultative groups with members which include academics with different ideological predilections, think-tanks, experts, representatives of the private sectors and NGOs. ``These are to be chaired by relevant members of the Commission.''

``I do not think the Commission would be of much value if a set of officers comment on the work of other set of officials,'' Dr. Ahluwalia said.

Quotes Gandhiji

``I want the Commission to become a window to hear the views of the outsiders,'' he said, and added this was in the spirit of what Gandhiji had said. The quote he gave in this regard was: ``I do not want my house to be walled on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. I refuse to be in other people's houses as an interloper, a beggar or a slave.'' — UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National