Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Sunday said that the existing centralised system of five-year plans and other annual schemes should be restricted and decentralised, focusing on the needs of States.
Speaking at the meeting of Chief Ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the proposed forum of effective communication between the Centre and States in New Delhi, Singh said that the forum should be given a constitutional stature.
The forum should also include the “innovation and knowledge hub” of national and international experts of various fields, he said.
Singh said, there is a need to set up regional forums under the aegis of central forum to discuss and address regional issues to expedite the process of development.
Addressing the meeting, he said that the target of three, five, and seven years to achieve a goal can be relevant for basic infrastructure development, industrial production and other such issues.
However, schemes related to social welfare and economic development should be executed on the pattern of national mission mode till the set target is achieved.
He said that if these suggestions are accepted, the existing system of implementing five-year plans will be ineffective. Singh suggested that in the new system, States should have the freedom to set annual targets based on the availability of resources.
The Chief Minister also called for a restriction on the number of schemes promoted by the Centre. There is a wide gap between States in terms of needs and level of development. Therefore, if any particular scheme is necessary for a backward Sate, it can be irrelevant for a developed State, he said.
However in exceptional cases, national level programmes can also be prepared on the basis of common needs of States. But the standard of such programmes should have flexibility so that States can make changes according to regional needs and implement them.
Speaking about the “innovation and knowledge hub”, Singh said, it should be given the status of a permanent institution or a commission. With national and international experts as its members, the institution should work as a policy making laboratory and advise States and the Central Government on decision making process and collection of resources on the basis of past experiences.
He added that the new institution should work as a bridge between policy makers, intelligentsia and researchers. He demanded that the current system of providing assistance should be changed and given to states as united grant.
Singh said that difference between planned and non-planned schemes is irrelevant. He also suggested assessment of States’ financial needs and resources should be done by the Finance Commission. Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand was also present in the meeting.