NITI Aayog to replace Plan panel: Congress says it will be an extension of PMO

The creation of NITI Aayog was an 'attack on the freedom of the states and the Panchayati Raj institutions'.

Opposing the creation of NITI Aayog to replace the Planning Commission, the Congress on Friday said the Narendra Modi government was trying centralise all powers in the Prime Minister’s Office. It said the new body would be an extension of the PMO.

“The attempt is to make NITI Aayog an extension of the Prime Minister’s Office. All the powers will be concentrated in the PMO. It is an assault on the federal structure,” Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said.

The Congress said it was a “dangerous” approach as proper development could take place only through the “bottoms up” approach.

Story continues below this ad

The creation of NITI Aayog was an “attack on the freedom of the states and the Panchayati Raj institutions”.

The BJP, he said, has been talking about decentralisation and giving more power to the states. “Now the PMO will decide even on village development. This is a clear attempt at centralisation of powers. India has a federal structure… It is not that only the PMO knows what is the most appropriate route of development. It is not only wrong but very dangerous.”

Will put states at mercy of Centre, says CPM

The CPM on Friday termed the NDA government’s move to replace the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog “regressive” and claimed it would further “push the country into a market-driven economy”.

In a statement, the CPM politburo said the formation of NITI Aayog is “a regressive step which will further push the country into a market-driven economy and privatisation in all spheres at the expense of diluting even the present inadequate schemes aimed at improving people’s welfare”.

Story continues below this ad

“That think-tank will be under the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office. This is a centralised unitarian structure,” the party said while describing the government’s claim that the new structure would have states as stakeholders as “spurious”.

“By saying ‘one size fits all’ cannot work, what is being done is to put the states at the mercy of the Centre to be dealt with arbitrarily without any common principles and norms. This dangerously opens new doors for political bargaining and deal-making,” it said. The CPI also criticised the move and said it would lead to “confrontation” between the states and the Centre.