CPI(M) slams Modi govt's decision to scrap Planning Commission

19 Aug 2014 Evaluate

CPI (M) today attacked the BJP-led government for announcing the winding up of the Planning Commission without any discussion in Parliament and said this 'arbitrary move' would only facilitate private capital profit maximisation at the cost of welfare programmes. The CPI(M) Politburo said that Prime Minister Modi has announced that the Planning Commission would be wound up. This step has been publicly taken a day after the Parliament session ended, without any discussion in Parliament or consultation with political parties or other concerned entities.

The role of the Planning Commission had already diminished in the last two decades under liberalisation and that the decision to scrap it was in line with the 'prevailing neo-liberal view that there is no need even for a semblance of planning in a market-oriented economy. Observing that the Modi Government has not spelt out what would be put in place of the Commission, the CPI (M) said that this was an arbitrary and adhoc move that will only facilitate the further private capital profit maximisation at the expense of curtailing even the existing meagre resource allocation for peoples' welfare programmes.

The major Left party said that if the Planning Commission itself is dismantled, the allocation for states will be decided by the Finance Ministry which will only lead to further centralisation and bring in political bias as far as the states are concerned. It noted that the plan panel was tasked with certain allocation of resources under the plan, providing for a balanced development keeping in mind regional disparities and monitoring of important schemes and projects. Modi government claims that the Planning Commission was not in tune with the federal principle. That is why the CPI(M) had been advocating that the Planning Commission should be made an executive wing of the National Development Council so that it becomes a truly federal institution.

 

 

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