Congress expresses disapproval of Planning Commission renaming

The Congress on Friday expressed its disapproval over the Centre's decision to rename the Planning Commission, terming such an exercise by the government as 'futile' without having any effective alternative in place.

"I don't think that they have found an effective system in place of the Planning Commission. When dismantling something, they should have an effective alternative," Congress leader P.C. Chacko told ANI.

"What they have done is to change the name and the old pattern continued: they put all the Chief Ministers in and a commission prepared a five-year plan. The five-year plan was always approved in the National Development Council, where all the Chief Ministers used to sit," he said.

Chacko further said the government could have another route to address the deficiencies that existed in the Planning Commission.

"The Planning Commission was a brainchild of Panditji [Jawaharlal Nehru] and it is a legacy of the Nehruvian era. They should have thought of an appropriate body which can carry out the work," he added.

The Union Government on Thursday renamed the Planning Commission as the 'Niti Aayog'.

The decision to change its name came months after Prime Minister Modi had announced that it will be replaced by a new body.

This move came after last month, when Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the Chief Ministers of all the states to discuss various aspects relating to restructuring of the Planning Commission. During the meeting, the Prime Minister had sought the views of the Chief Ministers regarding the structure, scope and role of the new body that will replace the Planning Commission.