Oil Price Reforms: Kirit S. Parikh Committee Recomendations

Kirit S. Parikh, Chairman, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe), presented a report of the Expert Group on A Viable and Sustainable System of Pricing of Petroleum Products on February 4, 2010.

Who is Kirit S Parikh?
Dr. Kirit S. Parikh is Founder Director of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai. He has also served as Senior Economic Advisor to United Nations Development Programme from October 1997 to September 1998. He has been a member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) of the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and had been a member of EAC of Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi, V.P.Singh, Chandra Shekhar and P.V. Narasimha Rao. He has also been member of Planning Commission.

He has been the editor of "India Development Reports" which provide a non-governmental assessment of India's development and policy options and member of numerous other boards. He is an author and co author of 15 books in the areas of planning, water resource management, appropriate technology for housing, optimum requirement for fertilizers, energy systems, national and international food policies, trade policies, general equilibrium modeling and natural resources accounting.

When this committee was Constituted?To advise on a viable and sustainable system of pricing petroleum products the establishment of a committee was announced by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee while presenting Budget 2009-10 on July 6, 2009. Dr. Parikh was appointed the chairman of this panel in August 2009.
The committee’s other members were: Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations chairperson Isher Judge Ahluwalia, National Council of Applied Economic Research director-general Suman K Bery, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla and Petroleum Secretary S. Sundareshan.

What are Key Recommendations?

1. Domestic petroleum product prices have to reflect that of international prices. The government should allow pass-through of international oil prices to domestic users. This will enable the public sector OMCs and upstream oil companies to remain financially stable and solvent.
2. There is no justification for continuance of subsidy for diesel and petrol and as such their prices should be raised by Rs 2.33 per litre and Rs 4.72 per litre respectively
3. An additional excise duty of Rs 80,000 per vehicle should be levied on diesel car owners
4. Smartcards should be used to provide subsidy to the target/needy group on kerosene and 14.2 LPG cylinders. Subsidy on LPG cylinders should be discontinued immediately except for the below the poverty line households.
5. The price of kerosene should be increased by Rs 6 per litre and that of LPG by Rs 100 per cylinder. The kerosene price increase should be in line with the nominal growth in agricultural GDP. LPG price should be increased in line with per capita income.
6. The government’s policy of incurring a cost of Rs 1.42 lakh crore towards compensating the OMCs for the under recoveries is a complete failure. The compensation burden has reached a level of 25 per cent of total revenue receipts in 2008-09, which is totally unviable and perilous to the long-term health of the economy.

The committee suggested that LPG and kerosene prices could be raised every year in step with the growth in per capital agricultural GDP at nominal rates and per capita income respectively. Freeing petrol and diesel prices would not only promote competition but also lead to more equitable sharing of inflation burden, affecting mostly people who can pay.

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Devendra Pandey Committee on Forest Rights Act

Kirit S. Parikh, Chairman, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe), presented a report of the Expert Group on A Viable and Sustainable System of Pricing of Petroleum Products on February 4, 2010.

Who is Kirit S Parikh?
Dr. Kirit S. Parikh is Founder Director of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai. He has also served as Senior Economic Advisor to United Nations Development Programme from October 1997 to September 1998. He has been a member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) of the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and had been a member of EAC of Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi, V.P.Singh, Chandra Shekhar and P.V. Narasimha Rao. He has also been member of Planning Commission.

He has been the editor of "India Development Reports" which provide a non-governmental assessment of India's development and policy options and member of numerous other boards. He is an author and co author of 15 books in the areas of planning, water resource management, appropriate technology for housing, optimum requirement for fertilizers, energy systems, national and international food policies, trade policies, general equilibrium modeling and natural resources accounting.

When this committee was Constituted?To advise on a viable and sustainable system of pricing petroleum products the establishment of a committee was announced by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee while presenting Budget 2009-10 on July 6, 2009. Dr. Parikh was appointed the chairman of this panel in August 2009.
The committee’s other members were: Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations chairperson Isher Judge Ahluwalia, National Council of Applied Economic Research director-general Suman K Bery, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla and Petroleum Secretary S. Sundareshan.

What are Key Recommendations?

1. Domestic petroleum product prices have to reflect that of international prices. The government should allow pass-through of international oil prices to domestic users. This will enable the public sector OMCs and upstream oil companies to remain financially stable and solvent.
2. There is no justification for continuance of subsidy for diesel and petrol and as such their prices should be raised by Rs 2.33 per litre and Rs 4.72 per litre respectively
3. An additional excise duty of Rs 80,000 per vehicle should be levied on diesel car owners
4. Smartcards should be used to provide subsidy to the target/needy group on kerosene and 14.2 LPG cylinders. Subsidy on LPG cylinders should be discontinued immediately except for the below the poverty line households.
5. The price of kerosene should be increased by Rs 6 per litre and that of LPG by Rs 100 per cylinder. The kerosene price increase should be in line with the nominal growth in agricultural GDP. LPG price should be increased in line with per capita income.
6. The government’s policy of incurring a cost of Rs 1.42 lakh crore towards compensating the OMCs for the under recoveries is a complete failure. The compensation burden has reached a level of 25 per cent of total revenue receipts in 2008-09, which is totally unviable and perilous to the long-term health of the economy.

The committee suggested that LPG and kerosene prices could be raised every year in step with the growth in per capital agricultural GDP at nominal rates and per capita income respectively. Freeing petrol and diesel prices would not only promote competition but also lead to more equitable sharing of inflation burden, affecting mostly people who can pay.

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State Farmers Commission (SFC) - Orissa

Agriculture is the major contributor to Orissa's economy. Agriculture is the chief occupation in Orissa. About 76% of the total working population is engaged with agriculture and agriculture related industries. The total cropped area in Orissa is 87,46,000 Hectares and out of that 18,79,000 Hectares are under irrigation.
Orissa is one of the largest producers of rice in India. The state grows almost one tenth of the total rice production of the country. In spite of a comfortable paddy production in the state, production of oilseeds and other commercial crops is not very encouraging. The economic conditions of the farmers has been ruined by an array of factors, like climate change, soil erosion, dryness and acidity of soil and falling ground water level. Besides the farmers are indebted and farmers committed suicides in recent years.

Keeping in view the impact on the farm sector of the state , Govt. of Orissa has constituted a State Farmers’ Commission (SFC) under the chairmanship of SM Patnaik. This was declared by Orissa's cabinet minister for agriculture and fisheries Damodar Rout.

Other members of the commission are Niranjan Panda, the renowned soil scientist and the chairman of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC), economist and the president of the State Finance Commission Dr Sudhakar Panda and D P Ray, vice-chancellor, OUAT. Besides the State Famermer commission has been empowered to add members by inducting experts from within the state and outside.

Objectives & Functions of State farmers Commission:

1. To review the status of the state’s agriculture, performance, strength and weakness, assess the condition of different categories of farmers in various agro-climatic zones.
2. To work out a comprehensive strategy for achieving sustainable and equitable agriculture development of the state.
3. To analyse factors responsible for low farm income and suggest measures to enhance income of the farmers, crop diversification, improved marketing, value addition and agro-processing.
4. To recommend measures for stepping up investment in agriculture and allied sectors and promotion of public-private-partnerships (PPP). Simultaneously, efforts would be made for harnessing information technology in agriculture.
5. To analyze the reasons for rural indebtedness which is often cited as the reason for the recent spate of suicides by the farmers in the state.
6. To examine land tenure and land ownership system and other agrarian problems pertaining to increasing productivity and rural income.

The Commission would submit its report to the government within six

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Some Recent Working Groups & Committees by RBI & Their Focus Area

Some Recent Working Groups & Committees by RBI & Their Focus Area: (Name of Chairmen is given)

1. Working Group on Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR): Deepak Mohanty
2. Working Group on Surveys: Deepak Mohanty
3. High Level Committee to Review Lead Bank Scheme: Usha Thorat
4. Working Group to Review the Business Correspondent Model: P Vijaya Bhaskar Rao
5. High Level Group on Systems and Procedures for Currency Distribution: Usha Thorat
6. G20 Working Group on Enhancing Sound Regulation and Strengthening Transparency: Dr. Rakesh Mohan and Mr. Tiff Macklem
7. Committee on Financial Sector Assessment: Dr. Rakesh Mohan
8. High Level Committee on Estimation of Savings and Investment: Dr. C. Rangarajan
9. Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS) on Capital Flows and Emerging Market Economies: Dr. Rakesh Mohan
10. Task Force For Diamond Sector: A K Bera
11. Technical Advisory Group on Development of Housing Start-Up Index in India: Prof. Amitabh Kundu
12. Working Group on Defraying Cost of ICT Solutions for RRBs: Shri G. Padmanabhan
13. Working Group on IT support for Urban Cooperative Banks: R Gandhi
14. Working Group on Technology Upgradation of Regional Rural Banks: Shri G. Srinivasan
15. Interest Rate Futures: Shri V.K. Sharma
16. Internal Working Group to Study the Recommendations of the NCEUS Report: KUB Rao
17. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep: S. Ramaswamy
18. Working Group on Rehabilitation of Sick SMEs: Dr. K. C. Chakrabarty
19. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services In Jharkhand: V.S.Das
20. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in Himachal Pradesh: Dr. J. Sadakkadulla
21. Internal Technical Group on Seasonal Movements in Inflation: Dr. Balvant Singh
22. Working Group to Examine the Procedures and Processes of Agricultural Loans: C P Swarankar
23. Task Force on Empowering RRB Boards for Operational EfficiencyDr. K.G. Karmakar
24. Technical Group Set up to Review Legislations on Money Lending: Shri.S. C. Gupta
25. Working Group To Suggest Measures To Assist Distressed Farmers: Shri. S. S. Johl
26. Technical Group on Statistics for International Trade in Banking Services: Shri K.S.R.Rao
27. Technical Advisory Group On Development Of Leading Economic Indicators For Indian EconomyDr. R B Barman
28. Working Group on Savings for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12): Dr.Rakesh Mohan
29. Working Group on Compilation of State Government Liabilities: Dr. N.D. Jadhav
30. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in Uttaranchal: V.S. Das
31. Working Group on Cost of NRI Remittances: P. K. Pain
32. Working group to formulate a scheme for Ensuring Reasonableness of Bank Charges: N. Sadasivam
33. Committee on Fuller Capital Account Convertibility: S.S.Tarapore
34. Committee on Financial Sector Plan for North Eastern Region: Smt. Usha Thorat
35. Survey on Impact of Trade Related Measures on Transaction Costs of Exports: Balwant Singh
36. Advisory Committee on Ways and Means Advances to State Governments: M.P.Bezbaruah
37. Need and Use Behavior for Small Denomination Coins: Sanal Kumar Velayudhan
38. Debt Sustainability at State Level in India: Indira Rajaraman, Shashank Bhide and R.K.Pattnaik
39. Internal Group to Examine Issues Relating to Rural Credit and Microfinance: Shri H.R.Khan
40. Working Group to Review Export Credit: Shri Anand Sinha
41. Internal Working Group on RRBs: Shri A V Sardesai
42. Working Group on Warehouse Receipts and Commodity Futures: Shri Prashant Saran
43. Internal Group to Review Guidelines on Credit Flow to SME Sector: Shri C.S.Murthy
44. Working Group on Regulatory Mechanism for Cards Shri R.Gandhi
45. Group on Model Fiscal Responsibility Legislation at State Level: Shri H R Khan
46. Task Force on Revival of Cooperative Credit Institutions: Prof.A.Vaidyanathan
47. Special Group for Formulation of Debt Restructuring Mechanism for Medium Enterprises: Shri G.Srinivasan
48. Working Group on Screen Based Trading In Government Securities: Dr.R.H.Patil
49. Expert Group on Internet Deployment of Central Database Management System (CDBMS): Prof.A.Vaidyanathan
50. Report on Monitoring of Financial Conglomerates: Smt.Shyamala Gopinath
51. Working Group on Development Financial Institutions: Shri N. Sadasivan
52. Advisory Committee to Advise on the Administered Interest Rates and Rationalisation of Saving Instruments: Dr.Rakesh Mohan
53. Advisory Committee on Flow of Credit to Agriculture: Prof.V.S.Vyas
54. Working Group on Flow of Credit to SSI Sector: Dr.A.S.Ganguly
55. Group to Study the Pension Liabilities of the State Governments: B. K. Bhattacharya
56. Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives: Shri G. Padmanabhan
57. Working Group on Instruments of Sterilisation: Smt. Usha Thorat
58. Working Group on Information on State Government Guaranteed Advances and Bonds: Shri.G.Padmanabhan
59. Working Group on Cheque Truncation and E-cheques: Dr.Barman, ED
60. Working Group on Introduction of Credit Derivatives in India: Shri B. Mahapatra
61. Group to Assess the Fiscal Risk of State Government Guarantees: Smt. Usha Thorat
62. Advisory Committee on Ways and Means Advances to State Governments: Shri C.Ramachandran
63. Working Group on Rupee Derivatives: Shri Jaspal Bindra
64. Committee on Computer Audit: Shri A.L. Narasimhan
65. Committee on Payment Systems: Dr R H Patil
66. Review Group on The Working of The Local Area Bank SchemeShri G.Ramachandran
67. Technical Group on Statistics of International Trade in Services: Shri Deepak Mohanty
68. Working Group for Suggesting Operational and Prudential Guidelines on STRIPS (Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal of Securities): Shri M.R.Ramesh
69. Working Group on Electronic Money: Mr.Zarir J. Cama
70. Working Group on Economic Indicators Dr. R.B. Barman
71. Working Group to Examine the Role of Credit Information Bureaus in Collection and Dissemination of Information on Suit-filed Accounts and Defaulters: Shri S.R. Iyer
72. Information systems audit policy for the banking and financial sector: Dr. R.B.Burman
73. Working Group on Consolidated Accounting and Other Quantitative Methods to Facilitate Consolidated Supervision: Shri Vipin Malik
74. Expert Committee to Review the System of Administered Interest Rates and Other Related Issues: Dr.Y.V. Reddy
75. Inter-Departmental Group to study the Rationalisation of Current account Facility with Reserve Bank of India: Shri K.W. Korgaonkar
76. The Expert Committee on Legal Aspects of Bank Frauds: Dr.N.L. Mitra
77. The Standing Committee on International Financial Standards and Codes
    Standing Committee on International Financial Standards and Codes: Dr. Y.V.Reddy
78. Technical Group on Market Integrity: Shri C.R. Muralidharan
79. Technical Group on Phasing Out of Non-banks from Call/Notice Money Market (March 2001): Dr.Y.V.Reddy
80. Core Group on Voluntary Disclosure Norms for State Governments: Dr.Y.V.Reddy
81. Task Force to Study the Cooperative Credit System and Suggest Measures for its Strengthening: Shri Jagdish Kapoor
82. Internal Group to Review the Guidelines Relating to Commercial Paper: Dr.Y.V.Reddy
83. High Power Committee on Urban Cooperative Banks: Shri Madhav Rao
84. Working Group for setting up Credit Information Bureau in India: Shri N.H.Siddiqui
85. Committee for Redesigning of Financial Statements of Non-Banking Financial Companies: Shri V.S.N. Murthy
86. Working Group on Restructuring Weak Public Sector Banks: Shri M.S.Verma
    Working Group for Working Out Modalities on Dissemination of Information in Electronic Form: Shri Y.S.P. Thorat and Shri C.R. Gopalasundaram
87. Committee on Technology Upgradation in the Banking Sector: Dr A.Vasudevan ]
88. Working Group of EURO: Shri V.Subrahmanyam
89. New Monetary Aggregates: Dr. Y.V. Reddy
90. Committee on Capital Account Convertibility: Shri S.S.Tarapore

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List Of Commeities In India

1. A C Shah Committee:NBFC
2. A Ghosh Committee:Final Accounts
3. A Ghosh Committee:Modalities Of Implementation Of New 20 Point Programme
4. A Ghosh Committee:Frauds & Malpractices In Banks
5. Abid Hussain Committee:Development Of Capital Markets
6. Adhyarjuna Committee:Changes In NI Act And Stamp Act
7. AK Bhuchar Committee:Coordination Between Term Lending Institutions And Commercial Banks
8. B Eradi Committee:Insolvency And Wind Up Laws
9. B Sivaraman Committee:Institutional Credit For Agricultural & Rural Development
10. B Venkatappaiah Committee:All India Rural Credit Review
11. BD Shah Committee:Stock Lending Scheme
12. BD Thakar Committee:Job Criteria In Bank Loans (Approach)
13. Bhagwati Committee:Unemployment
14. Bhagwati Committee:Public Welfare
15. Bhave Committee:Share Transfer Reforms
16. Bhide Committee:Coordination Between Commercial Banks And SFC's
17. Bhootlingam Committee:Wage, Income & Prices
18. C Rao Committee:Agricultural Policy
19. CE Kamath Committee:Multi Agency Approach In Agricultural Finance
20. Chatalier Committee:Finance To Small Scale Industry
21. Chesi Committee:Direct Taxes
22. Cook Committee (On Behalf Of BIS - Under Basel Committee ):Capital Adequacy Of Banks
23. D R Mehta Committee:Review Progress And Recommend Improvement Measures Of IRDP
24. Damle Committee:MICR
25. Dandekar Committee:Regional Imbalances
26. Dantwala Committee:Estimation Of Employments
27. Dave Committee:Mutual Funds (Functioning)
28. Dharia Committee:Public Distribution System
29. DR Gadgil Committee:Agricultural Finance
30. Dutta Committee:Industrial Licensing
31. G Lakshmai Narayan Committee:Extension Of Credit Limits On Basis Of Consortium
32. G Sundaram Committee:Export Credit
33. Gadgil Committee (1969):Lead Banking System
34. Godwala Committee:Rural Finance
35. Goiporia Committee:Customer Service In Banks
36. GS Dahotre Committee:Credit Requirements Of Leasing Industry
37. GS Patel Committee:Carry Forward System On Stock Exchanges
38. Hathi Committee:Soiled Banknotes
39. Hazari Committee (1967):Industrial Policy
40. IT Vaz Committee:Working Capital Finance In Banks
41. J Reddy Committee:Reforms In Insurance Sector
42. James Raj Committee:Functioning Of Public Sector Banks
43. Jankiramanan Committee:Securities Transactions Of Banks & Financial Institutions
44. JV Shetty Committee:Consortium Advances
45. K Madhav Das Committee:Urban Cooperative Banks
46. Kalyansundaram Committee:Introduction Of Factoring Services In India
47. Kamath Committee:Education Loan Scheme
48. Karve Committee:Small Scale Industry
49. KB Chore Committee:To Review The Symbol Of Cash Credit Q
50. Khanna Committee:Non Performing Assets
51. Khusrau Committee:Agricultural Credit
52. KS Krishnaswamy Committee:Role Of Banks In Priority Sector And 20 Point Economic Programme
53. L K Jha Committee:Indirect Taxes
54. LC Gupta Committee:Financial Derivatives
55. Mahadevan Committee:Single Window System
56. Mahalanobis Committee:Income Distribution
57. Marathe Committee:Licensing Of New Banks
58. ML Dantwala Committee:Regional Rural Banks
59. Mrs. KS Shere Committee:Electronic Fund Transfer
60. Nadkarni Committee:Improved Procedures For Transactions In PSU Bonds And Units
61. Nariman Committee:Branch Expansion Programme
62. Narsimham Committee:Financial System
63. Omkar Goswami Committee:Industrial Sickness And Corporate Restructuring
64. P R Nayak Committee:Institutional Credit To SSI Sector
65. P Selvam Committee:Non Performing Assets Of Banks
66. PC Luther Committee:Productivity, Operational Efficiency & Profitability Of Banks
67. PD Ojha Committee:Service Area Approach
68. Pendarkar Committee:Review The System Of Inspection Of Commercial, RRB And Urban Cooperative Banks
69. Pillai Committee:Pay Scales Of Bank Officers
70. PL Tandon Committee:Export Strategy
71. PR Khanna Committee:Develop Appropriate Supervisory Framework For NBFC
72. Purshottam Das Committee:Agricultural Finance And Cooperative Societies
73. R Jilani Banks:Inspection System Of Banks
74. R S Saria Committee:Agricultural Finance And Cooperative Societies
75. Raghavan Committee:Competition Law
76. Raja Chelliah Committee:Tax Reforms
77. Rajamannar Committee:Centre - State Fiscal Relationships
78. Rajamannar Committee:Changes In Banking Laws , Bouncing Of Checks Etc.
79. Rakesh Mohan Committee:Petro Chemical Sector
80. Ram Niwas Mirdha Committee (JPC):Securities Scam
81. Rangrajan Committee:Computerization Of Banking Industry
82. Rangrajan Committee:Public Sector Disinvestment
83. Rashid Jilani Committee:Cash Credit System
84. Ray Committee:Industrial Sickness
85. RG Saraiya Committee (1972):Banking Commission
86. RH Khan Committee:Harmonization Of Banks And Ssis
87. RK Hajare Committee:Differential Interest Rates Scheme
88. RK Talwar Committee:Customer Service
89. RK Talwar Committee:Enactment Having A Bearing On Agro Landings By Commercial Banks
90. RN Malhotra Committee:Reforms In Insurance Sector
91. RN Mirdha Committee:Cooperative Societies
92. RV Gupta Committee:Agricultural Credit Delivery
93. S Padmanabhan Committee:Onsite Supervision Function Of Banks
94. S Padmanabhan Committee:Inspection Of Banks (By RBI)
95. Samal Committee:Rural Credit
96. SC Choksi Committee:Direct Tax Law
97. Shankar Lal Gauri Committee:Agricultural Marketing
98. SK Kalia Committee:Role Of NGO And SHG In Credit
99. SL Kapoor Committee:Institutional Credit To SSI
100. Sodhani Committee:Foreign Exchange Markets In NRI Investment In India
101. SS Kohli Committee:Rehabilitation Of Sick Industrial Units
102. SS Kohli Committee:Rationalization Of Staff Strength In Banks
103. SS Kohli Committee:Willful Defaulters
104. SS Nadkarni Committee:Trading In Public Sector Banks
105. SS Tarapore Committee:Capital Account Convertibility
106. Sukhmoy Chakravarty Committee:To Review The Working Of Monetary System
107. Tambe Committee:Term Loans To SSI
108. Tandon Committee:Follow Up Of Bank Credit
109. Tandon Committee:Industrial Sickness
110. Thakkar Committee:Credit Schemes To Self Employed
111. Thingalaya Committee:Restructuring Of RRB
112. Tiwari Committee:Rehabilitation Of Sick Industrial Undertakings
113. UK Sharma Committee:Lead Bank Scheme (Review)
114. Usha Thorat Panel: Financial Inclusion
115. Vaghul Committee:Mutual Fund Scheme
116. Varshney Committee:Revised Methods For Loans (>2 Lakhs)
117. Venketaiya Committee:Review Of Rural Financing System
118. Vipin Malik Committee:Consolidated Accounting By Banks
119. VT Dehejia Committee:To Study Credit Needs Of Industry And Trade Likely To Be Inflated
120. Vyas Committee:Rural Credit
121. Wanchoo Committee:Direct Taxes
122. WS Saraf Committee:Technology Issues In Banking Industry
123. Y H Malegam Committee:Disclosure Norms For Public Issues
124. YV Reddy Committee:Reforms In Small Savings

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Ranganath Mishra Commission

Ranganath Mishra Commission is an enquiry commission assigned by Government of India to study and find solution for the minority status of India. The report was conducted by National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The report focused on the issue of The report was submitted to the government on 21 May 2007.

Main Findings

• 15% of jobs in government services and seats in educational institutions for minorities
• reserves 8.4% out of existing OBC quota of 27% for minorities
• SC reservation to Dalit converts.

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Planning Commission (India)

The Planning Commission is an institution in the Government of India, which formulates India's Five-Year Plans, among other functions.

  Aformal model of planning was adopted, and the planning commission, reporting directly to the Prime Minister of India was established. Accordingly, the Planning Commission was set up on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the chairman.

                            The composition of the Commission has undergone a lot of change since its inception. With the Prime Minister as the ex-officio Chairman, the committee has a nominated Deputy Chairman, who is given the rank of a full Cabinet Minister. Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia is presently the Deputy Chairman of the Commission.

Cabinet Ministers with certain important portfolios act as part-time members of the Commission, while the full-time members as experts of various fields like Economics, Industry, Science and General Administration.

The Commission works through its various divisions, of which there are three kind:

• General Planning Divisions
• Programme Administration Divisions

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National Knowledge Commission

On 13th June, 2005 , the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, constituted the National Knowledge Commission, as a think-tank charged with considering possible policy that might sharpen India's comparative advantage in the knowledge-intensive service sectors.
                
                        In particular, the Commission was to advise the Prime Minister's Office on policy related to education, research institutes and reforms needed to make India competitive in the knowledge economy. The Commission was to recommend reform of the education sector, research labs, and intellectual property legislation; as well as consider whether the Government could itself upgrade its use of the latest techniques to make its workings more transparent.


The NKC website was launched in February 2006.

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) consists of the following seven members.

Sam Pitroda, Chairman,
Ashok Ganguly, corporate leader
Nandan Nilekani, Infosys,
Dr. Deepak Nayyar, former Vice-chancellor, University of Delhi
Dr. Jayati Ghosh, economist at Jawaharlal Nehru University
Dr. Sujatha Ramadorai, TIFR Dr. P Balaram, Indian Institute of Science, Banglore

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Shah-nawaz Committee

The Shah Nawaz Committee was an enquiry committee established in 1956 to investigate the controversies surrounding the supposed death of Indian war time leader Subhas Chandra Bose in August 1945.


                The Committee included Shah Nawaz Khan and also included A. C. Moitra and Suresh Chandra Bose. The committee was appointed in December 1955 and began its work in April the next year.

           It submitted its report in July 1956. However, the committee was notable in two of the members, Moitra and Bose, submitting was has since come to be called the "Dissident Report" that differed from the official report of the committee submitted by Khan to the Indian Government.

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Ashok Mehta Committee

In December 1977, the Janata Government appointed a committee on Panchayati Raj institutions under the chairmanship of Ashok Mehta. The committee submitted its report in August 1978 and made 132 recommendations to revive and strengthen the declining Panchayati Raj system in the country.

As a result of this report, the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal passed new legislation.

Recommendations

The main recommendations of the committee are:
1. The 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj should be replaced by the 2-tier system: Zilla Parishad at the district level, and below it,the Mandal Panchayat consisting of a group of villages covering a population of 15000 to 20000.
2. A district should be the first point for decentralisation under popular supervision below the state level.
3. Zila Parishad should be the executive body and made responsible for planning at the district level.
4. There should be an official participation of political parties at all levels of Panchayat elections.
5. The Panchayat Raj institutions should have compulsory powers of taxation to mobilise their own financial resources.
6. There should be a regular social audit by a district level agency and by a committee of legislators to check whether the funds allotted for the vulnerable social and economic groups are actually spent on them.
7. The state government should not supersede the Panchayat Raj institutions. In case of an imperative supersession, election should be held within 6 months from the date of supersession.
8. The Nyaya Panchayats should be kept as separate bodies from that of development Panchayats. They should be presided over by a qualified judge.
9. The Chief Electoral Officer of the state in consultaton with the Chief Election Commissioner should organise and conduct the Panchayati Raj elections.
10. Development functions should be transferred to the Zila Parishad and all development staff should work under its control and supervision.
11. The voluntary agencies should play an important role in mobilising the support of the people for Panchayati Raj.
12. A minister for Panchayati Raj should be appointed in the state council of ministers to look after the affairs of the Panchayati Raj institutions.
13. Seats for SCs and Sts should be reserved on the basis of their population.

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Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was a committee appointed by the Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme(1952) and the National Extension Service(1953) and to suggest measures for their better working.

                  The Chairman of this committee was Balwantrai G Mehta. The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of the scheme of 'democratic decentralisation' which finally came to be known as Panchayati Raj.

Recommendations

The specific recommendations of the committee are:

1. Establishment of a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system-Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level.
2. The village Panchayat should be constituted with directly elected representatives, whereas the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad should be constituted with indirectly elected members.
3. All planning and developmental activities should be entrusted to these bodies.
4. The Panchayat Samiti should be the executive body while the Zila Parishad should be the advisory, coordinating and supervisory body.
5. The District Collector should be the Chairman of the Zila Parishad.
6. There should be a genuine transfer of power and responsibility to these democratic bodies.
7. Sufficient resources should be transferred to these bodies to enable them to discharge their functions and fulfil their responsibilities.
8. A system should be evolved to effect further devolution of authority in future.

These recommendations were accepted by the National Development Council in January 1958.

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Nanavati commission

The Justice G.T. Nanavati commission was established by the Indian Government in May 8, 2000 to investigate the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots.

Report

The report was 185 pages long. The commission submitted its final report in February 2005 detailing accusations and evidence against senior members of the Delhi wing of the then ruling Congress Party,including

                      Jagdish Tytler, later a Cabinet Minister, MP Sajjan Kumar and late minister H.K.L. Bhagat.

                They were accused of instigating mobs to avenge the assassination of Indira Gandhi by killing Sikhs in their constituencies.

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Shah-Nanavati commission

Shah-Nanavati commission

On March 6, the Gujarat government set up a commission of enquiry headed by retired High Court judge K.G. Shah to enquire into the Godhra train burning and the subsequent violence and submit a report in three months. Following criticism from victims' organisations, activists and political parties over Shah's alleged proximity to the BJP.



                                on May 22, the government reconstituted the commission, appointing retired Supreme Court Justice G.T. Nanavati to lead the commission.  
  

            In 2008, the Nanavati commission came out largely in favour of he Gujarat government's aspect. Nanavati's evidence hinged on the acquisition of 140 litres of petrol hours before the arrival of the train and the storage of the said petrol at the alleged key conspirator's, Razzak Kurkur, guest house. This was further corroborated by forensic evidence showing fuel was poured on the train compartment before being burnt.

The alleged mastermind was said to be the cleric Maulvi Husain Haji Ibrahim Umarji and a dismissed CRPF officer by the name of Nanumiyan, from Assam, who had instigated the Muslim crowds. Furthermore, two Kashmiris, Gulamnabi and Ali Mohammed, were in the same guesthouse for a fortnight prior to the event speaking about the Kashmir liberation movement.




The CPM and the Congress party both came out railing against the exoneration of the Gujarat government by the commission citing the timing of the report (with general elections months away) as evident of unfairness. Congress spokesperson Veerappa Moily commented at the strange absolvement of the Gujarat government for complacency for the carnage. He also said the report reinforced communal prejudices.

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Mandal Commission

The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward."

           It was headed by Indian parliamentarian Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine "backwardness."


                 In 1980, the commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian law whereby members of lower castes (known as Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Castes and Tribes) were given exclusive access to a certain portion of government jobs and slots in public universities, and recommended changes to these quotas, increasing them by 27% to 49.5%.

Criteria to identify OBC

                        Social

(i) Castes/classes considered as socially backward by others.

(ii) Castes/classes which mainly depend on manual labour for their livelihood.

(iii) castes/classes where at least 25 per cent females and 10 per cent males above the state average get married at an age below 17 years in rural areas and at least 10 per cent females and 5 per cent males do so in urban areas.

(iv) castes/classes where participation of females in work is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

                                    Educational

(v) Castes/classes where the number of children in the age group of 5–15 years who never attended school is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

(vi) Castes/classes where the rate of student drop-out in the age group of 5–15 years is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

(vii) Castes/classes amongst whom the proportion of matriculates is at least 25 per cent below the state average.

                                     Economic

(viii) Castes/classes where the average value of family assets is at least 25 per cent below the state average.

(ix) Castes/classes where the number of families living in kuccha houses is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

(x) Castes/classes where the source of drinking water is beyond half a kilometer for more than 50 per cent of the households.

(xi) Castes/classes where the number of households having taken consumption loans is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

Also known as "Creamy layer," this criteria of separation is ignored by the government which is known as the most controversial issue of reservation.

 

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Liberhan Commission

The Liberhan Commission is a long-running inquiry commissioned by the Indian government to investigate the destruction of the disputed structure Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in 1992.

                            Led by retired Indian Supreme Court Judge M S Liberhan, it was formed on 16 December 1992 by an order of the Indian Home Union Ministry following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on 6 December and the riots in Ayodhya. 

                     The Commission was expected to submit its report within three months. Extensions were given forty-eight times, and after a delay of 17 years, the commission submitted the report to Prime Minister Manmohan on 30 June 2009 Singh. In November 2009, contents of the report were leaked to the news media, causing a row in the Indian parliament.



the Commission examined one hundred witnesses including

1. Mark Tully, Journalist
2. PR Kumaramangalam, Union Minister
3. SB Chavan, Union Home Minister
4. Uma Bharti, BJP leader
5. KS Sudarshan, RSS leader
6. Jyoti Basu, CPI(M) leader, member of the National Integration Council
7. Murli Manohar Joshi, President, Bharatiya Janta Party, member of the Rajya Sabha
8. LK Advani, Leader, Bharatiya Janta Party
9. Vinay Katyar, Member of Parliament, Bharatiya Janta Party
10. Vishnu Hari Dalmia, President, Vishwa Hindu Parishad
11. VP Singh, Former Prime Minister, leader of Janta Dal
12. Kalyan Singh, the then Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh
13. PV Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India
14. Tej Shankar, Supreme Court's observer in Ayodhya
15. Arjan Singh, Union Cabinet Minister, Union Human Resource and Development
16. Swami Sachidanand Sakshi, alias Sakshiji Maharaj, BJP Member of Parliament, Acharya of the Nirmal Panchayati Akhara, Haridwar
17. Ashok Singhal, Leader, Vishwa Hindu Parishad
18. Kalraj Mishra, President, Uttar Pradesh unit of Bharatiya Janta Party
19. Mahant Paramhans Ramchander Das, President, Ram Janambhoomi Nyas
20. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Former Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh
21. Madhav Godbole, Union Home Secretary

Ayodhya debate
Babri Mosque
Ram Janmabhoomi
Archaeology
2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack
Liberhan Commission
People and organizations
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
L. K. Advani
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Murli Manohar Joshi
Kalyan Singh
All India Babri Masjid Action Committee
Babur
Bharatiya Janata Party
Koenraad Elst

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लिब्रहान आयोग पर चर्चा: एक दूसरे के निशाने पर कांग्रेस-भाजपा

लिब्रहान आयोग की रिपोर्ट पर संसद में कल से शुरू हो रही चर्चा के दौरान बाबरी मस्जिद को गिराए जाने के मुद्दे पर कांग्रेस और भाजपा द्वारा एक दूसरे को निशाना बनाए जाने की संभावना है।
भाजपा के कई नेताओं को आयोग ने दोषी ठहराया है जबकि पार्टी की आपत्ति तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री पी वी नरसिंह राव को आरोपमुक्त किए जाने पर है। सपा भी संभवत: इसे मुद्दा बना सकती है।
सपा के रूख से स्पष्ट है कि वह कांग्रेस को जोरशोर से निशाना बनाएगी। पार्टी के अनुसार उस समय राव के नेतृत्व वाली पार्टी घटनाक्रम पर रोक लगाने में विफल रही जिसकी परिणति बाबरी मस्जिद को गिराए जाने के रूप में सामने आयी।
भाजपा बाबरी मस्जिद को सुरक्षित रखने में नाकाम रहने पर पार्टी द्वारा 1998 चुनाव में राव को टिकट नहीं देने को रेखांकित कर रही है। सपा प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह पर राव को क्लीनचिट देने आरोप लगाते हुए उन्हें निशाना बना रही है। सिंह राव सरकार में वित्त मंत्री थे। इस आरोप को कांग्रेस ने खारिज कर दिया है।
लोकसभा में लिब्रहान आयोग की रिपोर्ट पर सात और आठ दिसंबर को चर्चा होनी है जबकि राज्यसभा में इस पर नौ और दस दिसंबर को चर्चा होगी। रिपोर्ट पर चर्चा की शुरूआत बाबरी मस्जिद गिराए जाने के 17 साल पूरा होने के एक दिन बाद हो रही है। यह पूछे जाने पर कि राव पर लगाए गए आरोपों का कांग्रेस कैसे जवाब देगी, पार्टी प्रवक्ता मनीष तिवारी ने कहा, ‘‘ पार्टी रिपोर्ट के बारे में अपना रूख रखेगी।’’
कांग्रेस ने अब तक यह खुलासा नहीं किया है कि चर्चा में उसकी ओर से कौन शामिल होंगे और क्या राहुल गांधी इसमें शामिल होंगे या नहीं। राहुल ने पहले कहा था कि अगर उनके परिवार का कोई सदस्य सत्ता में होता तो मस्जिद नहीं गिरती। भाजपा ने रिपोर्ट में दोषी ठहराए गए नेताओं को चर्चा में शामिल नहीं करने का फैसला किया है। लोकसभा में लालकृष्ण आडवाणी और मुरली मनोहर जोशी तथा राज्यसभा में विनय कटियार और कलराज मिश्र चर्चा में शामिल नहीं होंगे।
भाजपा रिपोर्ट में पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी को भी दोषी ठहराए जाने को मुद्दा बना रही है। रिपोर्ट पर चर्चा के दौरान लोकसभा में भाजपा की ओर से पार्टी अध्यक्ष राजनाथ सिंह और सुषमा स्वराज प्रमुख वक्ता होंगे जबकि राज्यसभा में विपक्ष के नेता अरूण जेटली, एम वेंकैया नायडू और रविशंकर प्रसाद वक्ता होंगे।
कल्याण सिंह के भी चर्चा में शामिल होने की संभावना है। वह छह दिसंबर 1992 को उत्तर प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री थे। उस समय वह भाजपा के प्रमुख नेताओं में से थे। लेकिन अब वह लोकसभा में निर्दलीय सदस्य हैं। आयोग ने अपनी रिपोर्ट में कल्याण सिंह को दोषी ठहराते हुए कहा है कि उन्होंने भाजपा तथा संघ परिवार के नेताओं के ‘‘ कार्टल ’’ की अगुवाई की।

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Protests, celebrations mark Babri demolition anniversary

The 17th anniversary of the Babri mosque demolition saw both protests as well as celebratory marches by different groups in the capital Sunday.
Staging a protest at the Jantar Mantar near the central business hub of Delhi, members of the All India Babri Masjid Rebuilding Committee (AIBMRC) demanded that the mosque be rebuilt on the disputed site of Ayodhya.
They also submitted a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil to put behind bars those named by the Liberhan Commission report.
On the other hand, celebrating the anniversary of the demolition, members of the little known Rashtrawadi Sena organised a 'Vijay Divas' (victory day) march in east Delhi.
                  Said Bharat Lal Sharma, secretary of the group: 'Our party chief Jai Bhagwan Goyal said this was a historic day which should be celebrated with pomp and show. He also added that since this year his name was mentioned in the Liberhan Commission report, it was an even bigger reason to celebrate.'.
Goyal was one of the 68 people mentioned in the report of the Liberhan Commission, which probed the 1992 Babri mosque demolition, as culpable for 'leading the country to the brink of communal discord'.
The report, which was tabled in parliament Nov 24, has indicted members of the Sangh Parivar for demolition of the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya. The vandalism and destruction had led to communal riots across the country.
Sahmat, a group of artists also held a discussion with journalists and photographers who were witnesses in the demolition along with historians to give their perspective Sunday. A photo exhibition 'Hum Sab Ayodhya' was also organised.

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Law Commission of India

1. Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. Its major function is to work for legal reform. It membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government. The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice.
   
   The first Law Commission was established during the British regime in 1834 by the Charter Act of 1833. After that three more Commissions were established in pre-independent India. The first Law Commission of independent India was established in 1955 for a three year term. Since then Eighteen more Commissions have been established. The Ninteenth and the current Law Commission was established on 1 September 2009 under the Chairment of a (not declared yet). Its tenure has been fixed till 31 August 2012. Other than the Chairman, the Eighteenth Law Commission has one Permanent Member, one Member-Secretary and six Part-time Members.
2. The Indian Evidence Act, originally passed by the British parliament in 1872, contains a set of rules and allied issues governing admissibility of any evidence in the Indian courts of law.The Indian Evidence Act, identified as Act no. 1 of 1872, and called the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, has eleven chapters and 167 sections, and came into force 1st September 1872. At that time, India was a part of the British Empire. Over a period of more than 125 years since its enactment, the Indian Evidence Act has basically retained its original form except certain amendments from time to time.
3. National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission--- Engaged in solving consumer and seller disputes, spreading consumer awareness and enabling people to secure speedy and in expensive redressal of their grievances.
4. The Planning Commission was set up by a Resolution of the Government of India in March 1950 in pursuance of declared objectives of the Government to promote a rapid rise in the standard of living of the people by efficient exploitation of the resources of the country, increasing production and offering opportunities to all for employment in the service of the community. The Planning Commission was charged with the responsibility of making assessment of all resources of the country, augmenting deficient resources, formulating plans for the most effective and balanced utilisation of resources and determining priorities. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission.
   
   The first Five-year Plan was launched in 1951 and two subsequent five-year plans were formulated till 1965, when there was a break because of the Indo-Pakistan Conflict. Two successive years of drought, devaluation of the currency, a general rise in prices and erosion of resources disrupted the planning process and after three Annual Plans between 1966 and 1969, the fourth Five-year plan was started in 1969.
   
   The Eighth Plan could not take off in 1990 due to the fast changing political situation at the Centre and the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 were treated as Annual Plans. The Eighth Plan was finally launched in 1992 after the initiation of structural adjustment policies.
   
   For the first eight Plans the emphasis was on a growing public sector with massive investments in basic and heavy industries, but since the launch of the Ninth Plan in 1997, the emphasis on the public sector has become less pronounced and the current thinking on planning in the country, in general, is that it should increasingly be of an indicative nature.
   
5. 
   

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