The National Development Council (NDC) will meet on Saturday to approve the approach paper of the 12th Plan (2012-17). The meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is likely to be stormy, as the Opposition ruled states’ chief ministers may rake up the issues pertaining to contentious land bill, food bill and communal violence bill on the sidelines.
Apart from the proposed legislation’s, the leaders attending the meeting, will also focus on issues like rationing of water, Rs 32 poverty line and corruption. Talking to reporters on the eve of the meeting, deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, “The water issue is something which we are highlighting in the NDC meet tomorrow.”
Even as the meeting has mainly been called for approving the Approach Paper, sources in the Planning Commission said issues like panel’s Rs 32 poverty line, corruption and the proposed legislations on land, food and communal violence may crop up prominently, with some being “raked-up at the sidelines by opposition-ruled states’ chief ministers”.
The NDC will also take stock of the economy in the backdrop of sluggish growth and persistent high inflation, which is hovering around the double-digit mark.
The NDC, which is headed by the Prime Minister, has all chief ministers, Cabinet ministers and members of the Planning Commission as its members.
The approach paper is a document, which provides a broad framework of the government policy to be pursued in the five-year period to achieve the desired growth rate.
The blueprint of the next plan focuses more on the social sector and suggests ways to improve spendings