Plan panel members put in papers

In keeping with the convention, all the Planning Commission members, including deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, today  submitted their resignation letters to commission secretary Subas Pani for forwarding to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Planning Commission's term runs concurrently with that of the government. The standard protocol is for the commission members to submit their resignation as soon as the prime minister, who chairs the panel, resigns. But with Manmohan Singh's reappointment a foregone conclusion, the members have not waited to do the needful.

Apart from Ahluwalia (who is widely tipped to be inducted into the government as finance minister, since the Left is now out and no longer able to veto his appointment) and secretary Pani, the current commission comprises Abhijit Sen, B Mungekar, Kirit Parekh, Anwarul Hoda, Sayeeda Hameed, Bhalchandra Mungekar and B N Yugandhar.

Ahluwalia already had a farewell meeting with the members and senior advisors of the Planning Commission a couple of days ago. On 6 May, the commission members had a farewell meeting with Manmohan Singh, who is reported to have expressed the desire that the outgoing panel come out with a sort of 'white paper' listing the achievements and shortfalls of the UPA government, which would serve as a ready reckoner for future strategy.

Apart from its traditional function of drafting five-year growth plans, the commission provides vital economic inputs to the government on a regular basis, and the deputy chairman (usually a person close to the current government) is entitled to attend all cabinet meetings.