Lok Sabha Debates
Need To Review The Decision To Change The Structure And Functioning Of Planning ... on 9 December, 2014
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Need to review the decision to change the structure and functioning of Planning Commission.
SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN (KASARGOD): Thank you, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir.
I would like to place before this House a very important issue. The Government has announced that the Planning Commission would be wound up. He has taken this step publicly a day after the Parliament Session ended, without any discussion in Parliament or consultation with political parties or other concerned-entities. The decision is in line with the prevailing neo-liberal view that there is no need even for a discussion on this, in a market-oriented economy.
When the Parliament is supreme and the Prime Minister has made this statement only in public, it is really a violation of the right of the Parliament and itse Members. The role of the Planning Commission has already been curtailed in the last two decades, under liberalization. What our Prime Minister has done is to really give it a final burial.
The Planning Commission has been tasked with certain allocation of resources under the plan, providing for a balanced development, keeping in mind regional disparities and monitoring the important schemes and projects.
The Government claims that the Planning Commission was not in tune with the federal principles. To some extent, I agree with that. That is why, we have been advocating that the Planning Commission should be made an executive wing of the National Development Council so that it becomes truly a federal institution.
But if the Planning Commission itself is dismantled, the allocation of the States will be decided by the Finance Ministry which will only lead to further centralization and bring in political bias as far as the States are concerned. The Government has not spelt out what will be put in place instead of Planning Commission. This is really an arbitrary decision taken by the Government. … (Interruptions)So, the Planning Commission should not be an affair of the Central Government. … (Interruptions)
HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can send slips. If you want to associate, you have to send slips.
… (Interruptions)
HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Shri N.K. Premchandran, Shri P.K. Biju, Shri Jitendra Chaudhury and Shrimati P.K. Sreemathi Teacher are allowed to associate with this issue.