Prabhat Patnaik writes on the ‘The Privatisation Of Planning,’ and argues that the central government is trying to take away the powers of the state government in two ways — by centralising some in the Union government and decentralising others to local bodies.

He says: “We observe two simultaneously existing paradoxes these days: first, even as planning, for all practical purposes, is being given a burial at the national level, with the eleventh plan document, whatever its worth, not even ready six months into the plan period, there is much emphasis, at the level of the same central government and the same Planning Commission, on detailed planning at the district level. Secondly, even as there is enormous centralisation of powers and resources away from the state governments and towards the Centre, there is simultaneously much emphasis, again at the level of the same central government and the same

Planning Commission, on decentralisation of powers and resources away from the state governments towards the panchayats and urban local bodies. Thus, one paradoxical combination, of ‘no-planning’ with ‘excessive-planning’, is matched by another paradoxical combination, of ‘centralisation’ with ‘decentralisation”’.

It’s a deal

The CPM suspects the UPA government is planning to make concessions to the US on WTO as a quid pro quo for delaying the nuclear deal. The lead editorial of the CPM organ warns the government against this. “In the by now widely reported telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush, the media attention was mainly focussed on the PM’s explanation of the difficulties faced in operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal. However, according to a Ministry of External Affairs’ statement issued in Nigeria’s Abuja, Dr Singh told President Bush that India remained committed to the successful conclusion of the Doha round (WTO negotiations) at an early date.” Any compromises or concessions on agriculture would be disastrous for millions in India, says the editorial.

... contd.