The
Left parties have issued the following statement:
Why World Bank in the Planning Commission?
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.
A.B. Bardhan (CPI)
Prakash
Karat (CPI-M)
Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc)
Abani
Roy (RSP)