Planning Commission has lost its relevance: Jaswant

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Jaswant Singh today suggested that either the Planning Commission be wound up or be rechristened as "Reform Commission".

Asserting that the Planning Commission had lost its relevance, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha said the Commission which used to have noted economists as its members during Nehru era, had been turned into a Political Gaushala (cow-shed) where only those were accommodated who had no other jobs. "Besides it has been turned into a centre of sycophants," he told Hindi Weekly "Outlook" in an exclusive interview.

"There is no check on its working...Finance Ministry should allocate funds to the States, not the Planning Commission.

Continuing with this practice, we are undermining the importance of the Finance Ministry. CAG doe not audit its accounts. It does not have to report to Parliament. Its Deputy Chairperson is not answerable to anybody,"he said.

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