Let experts rate plan panel work, reset role: House panel

The standing committee on finance, headed by Yashwant Sinha, on Tuesday submitted its reports on demand for grants for 2012-13 from some key ministries. It has pulled up the government on many issues, seeking immediate action on a number of them. ET takes a look at the key action points.

Role of the Planning Commission

Observation: The Planning Commission has been evasive about the evaluation of its performance by an expert group

Recommendation: An expert group should evaluate the performance of the Planning Commission and redefine its role and objectives

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

Observation: The government is continuing with the implementation of Aadhar without the legislative approval

Recommendation: The government should reconsider and review the UID Scheme, including the proposals contained in the Bill, and bring a fresh legislation

Economic data

Observation: The recent instances of data error raise questions about reliability of data and show the country in poor light

Recommendation: Independent inquiry into data errors and a report submitted within three months

Project implementation

Observation: Of the 561 central projects worth Rs 150 crore or more, 258 projects have overrun either time or cost or both. NHAI and Railway are the biggest culprit

Recommendation: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation should take up the matter at the highest level

Disinvestment

Observation: Disinvestment has been reduced to merely deficit-bridging exercise and treating the Central Public Sector Enterprises as milching cow

Recommendation: Government should formulate a coherent and effective disinvestment policy without diluting the objectives for which the CPSEs have been set up

Aviation cartel

Observation: The committee doesn't agree with the judgment passed by CCI on the aviation case which was closed due to lack of evidence

Recommendations: CCI needs to provide the committee with full details of the investigation in the airlines case as well as the cartelisation cases with regards to onions and cement.