Complete mid-term review of 12th Plan: Parliamentary Panel to NITI Aayog

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Panel has asked NITI Aayog to complete mid-term review of 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) on war footing for implementing the suggestions of the think-tank in the last year of policy period.

"We Would like the NITI to complete the entire process on war footing so that their suggestions and initiatives can be implemented in the last leg of the Plan period," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance said in its report on Planning Ministry tabled in Lok Sabha today.

It said: "The committee are constrained to note that even though the 12th Plan is in its last year of operation, this vital exercise has not yet been completed and the NITI has prepared only a draft Appraisal Document."

The panel pointed out: "With less than one year of the Plan period left, the committee wonders how the suggestions of the NITI would be effectively implemented in such a short duration of the remaining period of 12th Plan. The NITI should have been proactive in the matter and completed the job much earlier."

A decision was taken in February 2015 that NITI would undertake Mid Term Appraisal of the 12th Five year Plan with a view to incorporating the shared vision of national development and important initiatives of Central Government so that they may be implemented in the last two years of the Plan.

Noting that 12th Plan is going to be over in less than a year, the panel said that they are not at all clear about the status of planning process in future.

It observed: "They are uncertain whether or not a plan document relating to the 13th Five Year Plan would be prepared and considered by the National Development Council as was being done in the past."

It further said, "The Planning Ministry/NITI have apprised that the matter is under consideration with the government. This matter should have been decided long back so as to allow adequate time for the necessary advance preparatory work. The Committee would impress upon the Government to finalise the issue without any further delay and take adequate steps accordingly."

The panel also noted, "...no study on utilisation of 10 per cent FlexiFund component within the CSS has been conducted by them to assess the benefits accruing to the States."

It asked the NITI to assess the implementation and impact of these schemes on a priority basis.

In this endeavour, more emphasis should be given on monitoring the outcomes of these schemes rather than the expenditure, it added.

The committee noted that there has been a substantial pruning of budgetary allocations in respect of the Ministry of Planning for 2016-17.

The panel was of the opinion that there should have been higher allocation to Ministry of Planning (NITI) in form of Budget Estimates / discretionary fund /special fund to undertake their committed liabilities / economic reforms and to make focused interventions.