Tribal development, naxals key concerns for NDC: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the National Development Council (NDC) should focus on key areas of tribal development and come up with a solution to the Naxalite menace. The PM’s comments came two days after Maoists blew up a bus carrying civilians and special police officers (SPOs) in a forested stretch in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada.

“The Prime Minister wanted the NDC to focus on four or five key issues which include tribal development, Naxals, water resources and agriculture,” said Planning commission member- secretary Sudha Pillai to Business Standard.

In a meeting with members of the planning commission, including deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Pillai, the prime minister discussed issues related to the overall economy, infrastructure and food security law. One of the issues discussed in detail was the need for reforms in governance in areas affected by Naxalite extremism.

“We highlighted the fact that extremism was the result of a crisis in confidence levels. The important thing is to bring in preventive measures and governance reforms,” said Mihir Shah, a member of the planning commission.

To address issues relating to poverty in India, minister for state for planning V Narayanasamy said various welfare schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme have helped in reducing poverty in India as people got more money in their hands due to government efforts.

Narayanasamy’s optimistic views on poverty came at a time when the plan panel has accepted Suresh Tendulkar’s estimates on the national poverty level at 32.7 per cent — an increase from the earlier estimate of 27 per cent.

The consensus among panel members was to continue with the Tendulkar methodology of calculating the poverty level in India. His report is expected to form the basis for implementing the food security bill.

“On that (food security) the view expressed was that the Suresh Tendulkar estimates needs to be accepted. Currently we are drafting the bill,” Shah added.

The prime minister also expressed concern for the mismatch in the demand-supply interface for sectors like power, environment and coal. Planning commission has recently set up quarterly targets for various infrastructure sectors in order to closely monitor their progress.

Another issue discussed in detail was that of water resources, and Singh wanted the commission to prepare a paper that would come up with a strategy to develop and sustain water resources in India.

Moreover, internal reform within the commission was also discussed and Narayanaswamy expressed the need for members of parliament of various states to be present in the annual plan meetings between the state government and the planning commission.

“Yes, there has been such thinking and we did discuss the issue. The planning commission has been asked to look into it,” added Pillai.