Sonia gandhi to again head National Advisory Council

Congress President Sonia Gandhi was today again named chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), four years after she quit the post after being accused of holding the office of profit.

Gandhi, who is also the chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), would hold the rank and status of a Union Cabinet minister with immediate effect, an official statement said.

However, it was not clear who the other members of the body would be.

Amid reports that there was a discord between the party and the government (headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh), NAC was revived in an environment distinctly different from 2004 when the body was first created to give an aam aadmi touch to the government. The current UPA government is dominated by the Congress, whereas in the earlier version the Congress was more dependent on its allies.

The perks and powers which were described as office of profit and because of which Gandhi had to resign from her Lok Sabha seat in 2006 were restored to her today.

“The salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of the chairperson and members shall be such as the government may specify from time to time,” the statement said. Her term would begin from the date she assumes charge, it added.

“It will be co-terminus with the term of NAC or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The chairperson shall be entitled to the same salary, pay, allowances and other facilities to which a member of the Union council of ministers is entitled.”

According to the statement, the term of NAC members will be for one year but this could be extended. They will draw salary and allowances determined by the central government.

The reconstituted NAC is expected to take up the food security Bill over which there are differences between social activists and the government. The activists, some of whom were part of the previous NAC, have differed with the government on the draft Bill cleared by the Cabinet, saying its provisions were “minimalist”.