Consultations with different stakeholders for setting up of new institution for policy planning is underway

The Government has decided to replace the present Planning Commission with new Institution. Towards this end, the process of consultation with different stakeholders is underway. Suggestions from public have been sought. Prime Minister has also held a consultation meeting with the Chief Ministers on December 7, 2014. However, this decision does not affect the continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (including MGNREGA) which are being implemented by the Central Ministries and for which budgetary provisions have already been made in the Budget of 2014-15. This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Planning, Shri Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. 

The Minister clarified that in so far as the Public Distribution System (PDS) is concerned, the same is being implemented as a joint responsibility of Central Government and the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations. The expenditure for PDS is predominantly in the form of food subsidy, which is a non-Plan expenditure and allocation for which has already been made by the Ministry of Finance for the year 2014-15. Besides, the Government has enacted the National Food Security Act 2013, which seeks to provide food and nutritional security, in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity. 

Courtesy: pib.nic.in