'New panel should meet needs of new economy, states'

The Planning Commission Sunday suggested in a presentation at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with chief ministers that its replacement panel should be structured to meet the needs of the changed economic context and comprise states' representative and sectoral experts.

Citing "transformation in the role of the states and the state of the economy from a command and control eco-system to a market economy in an increasingly integrated globalized world" as the fundamental reason for a revamp, Planning Commission Secretary Sindhushree Khullar said the new institution may have 8-10 regulars or executive members with half of them representing the states.

She suggested that the remaining members could be sectoral experts like environmentalists, financial experts, engineers, scientists and eminent scholars from different fields.

The other reasons cited for a new panel are the absence of a structured mechanism for regular engagement with states, besides weaknesses of the Planning Comission in becoming an effective forum for resolution of Centre-state issues, its weak implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes, inadequate capacity, expertise and domain knowledge as well as weak networks with think tanks outside government.

Declaring that the fostering of "cooperative federalism" should be a key element in the charter of a new institution that would be a platform for "resolution of cross sectoral issues in the Centre and states", the Planning Commission said a revamped panel should evolve a consensus on a national development strategy while defining the reforms agenda, function as a knowledge and innovation hub as well as a capacity building and technology watch group.