NEW DELHI: Congress-ruled Arunachal Pradesh Sunday opposed the move to do away with the Planning Commission, saying it is a "national spirit" that must be continued.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki described the plan panel as a single window for small states to air grievances on issues like regional aspirations and centre-state disputes.
Addressing a meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss future of the Planning Commission, he said to understand the specific and peculiar requirements of the hill/
tribal/ special categories states and to ride on their strengths towards the shared goal of developing them- an institution of the magnitude of Planning Commission is sine qua non (essential or indispensable element).
Tuki said the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had set forth to chart out the development of the nation and for doing so, he envisioned an institution, with fresh ideas and spirit of accommodation for all, especially the weak and marginalised sections of the society.
He said the Planning Commission has had a national consensus and appeal for the last 60 years being an organisation propelling the socio-economic growth of India.
"I firmly believe that this spirit of national consensus must continue.We can safely give credit to the Planning Commission for all the achievements in the plan sector of the nation," he said.
The Chief Minister said the body has been undertaking hree tasks - drawing blueprint of the nation's perspective development plans in the form of five year plans, entails the allocation of resources to states in the form of annual plan and formulation of policies and programmes, assessment of schemes of the Ministries.
These three broad functions in unison provide the space to the Planning Commission to have a holistic visualisation and implementation of development initiatives of Government. "Any other Ministry- even the Finance Ministry, will not have this temperame nt and therefore doing away with the Planning Commission will deprive this important aspect of development planning," he said.
Tuki said this institution has been of immense help for taking up the development cause of the region. The Chief Minister said many states, which are advanced
in the development index, may find it not of much consequence on doing away with the Planning Commission.
"However, for small states- with low resource base, low population and late starters in the journey of development- Planning Commission has been a single window in the Union Government to air our grievances- issues of regional nature,
concerning centre-state, issues spread over more than one Ministry," he said.
"We have got support on many occasions in resolving vexed problems from the Planning Commission. Special Category states also had the benefit of academic excellence in the form of experts in the Commission, which encouraged debate, participatory approach and discussion and provided free space.
Tuki said the think tank in Planning Commission compri ed people of excellence and experience drawn from various fields. They has been emphatic to the sensibilities of the weaker and marginalised sections of the society, which may generally be found lacking in the regimented bureaucratic silos.
The Planning Commission with access to information on all Plan activities of the Ministries could project a holistic view on any issue of development and also provide solutions to that effect, he said.