People's Democracy

   Why World Bank In The Planning Commission?

The Left parties – CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc – have jointly issued the following statement on September 8, 2004.

The Planning Commission has included representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and an American consultancy group in various consultative committees constituted by the Commission. This is the first time representatives of such agencies are being included in such committees.

The Planning Commission is accountable to the Union government and mandated to draft and oversee the implementation of the five year plans. It also plays the key role in the allocation of resources to the states.

To include representatives of international agencies and foreign private companies, who have their own agendas and who are in no way accountable to the Indian people in the planning process, is an unwarranted step.  The Manmohan Singh government must explain why it wants World Bank representation in the Planning Commission when the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh has held the World Bank’s structural adjustment policies responsible for the miserable plight of the farmers and the ordinary people in the state. 

The Left parties urge the UPA government to reconsider this step. (INN)