The Hindu Business Line : To act on various areas of national common minimum programme — Plan panel sets up 7 inter-Ministerial task forces

THE Planning Commission has set up seven inter-Ministerial task forces, following the directive of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to consider action needed for those areas of the National Common Minimum Programme where the agenda is cross-sectoral entailing intervention and inputs by a host of Ministries and departments.

Accordingly, the Inter-Ministry Task Force on Redressing Growing Regional Imbalances would address issues of burgeoning regional imbalances both among States and within States through fiscal, administrative, investment and other means.

It would also give suggestions for correction of distortions in Plan allocations and the Union Government assistance and consider creation of backward States grant fund proposed in this year's budget to foster productive assets in the States.

An official release said all non-statutory resource transfers from the Central Governments to be weighted in favour of poor and backward States but with performance parameters would also be considered by the Group.

It would also go into the needs of special programmes to be taken up for development of social and physical projects in the poorest and most backward States on a priority basis, besides reviewing the mineral royalties to States.

The Task Group on Investment, Credit and Technical Support to promote self-employment in agriculture, horticulture, afforestation, dairying and agro processing would suggest the steps for promotion of self-employment in these areas.

The Task Group on Comprehensive Medium-Term Strategy for Food and Nutritional Security would review the extant technological, investment and marketing support for household and artisan-manufacturing units and suggest improvements in the areas.

The Task Force on Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would suggest measures to reconcile the objectives of economic growth and environmental conservation in tribal affairs, comprehensive national programme for minor irrigation of all India owned by dalits and adivasis and evolve more viable livelihood strategies for the scheduled tribes.

The Inter-Ministry Task Group for Integration of Ongoing Schemes to address water conservation as a water mission would address the integration of select ongoing schemes with multiple Ministries through a National Water Mission.

It would also endeavour to combine employment programmes with water conservation as their focus to make the investment productive as well as use the mission mode to enlist community action.

Finally, the Inter-Ministry Task Group on Efficient Utilisation of Water Resources would address issues of over exploitation of ground water and non-utilisation of created capacity and plan for efficient and optimal use of water resources.

All the seven task groups would be chaired by the Secretary, Planning Commission, and would have representations from the Ministries/departments concerned at Secretary level.

The group would be free to associate professionals, domain experts and would have interaction with the State Governments. The groups would submit their report within three months from the date of constitution.