Devaki Jain on outlining the Plan Panel's new avatar

Yojana is a Vedic measure of distance that was used in ancient India. In modern Hindi the word yojanaa means "plan" or blueprint, and is etymologically connected with the Cartesian notion of distance in the word yojana.

So if we see planning as envisioning, reducing the distance between the people and the government , then the design needs to be less permanent, heavy .

The great beautiful space called Yojana Bhavan could house a series of think-tanks, working on critical themes and bringing out policy papers and ideas for further discussions, democratically, i.e. in Parliament, and other public domains. Build a policy after inclusion of opinions and facts which would ensure that it lands on receptive grounds.

Inclusion

In a vast and highly diverse, not only in terms of population but also in terms of economic and social characteristics, country like India, think-tanks on different issues that are perplexing the society and economy can add enormous value to building consensus and coherence in public policy. In a world where there are rapid changes not only in political and economic configurations, volatility in markets, - but also in the shifting of political power to other than government, a new approach could be more democratic .

The clusters as I prefer to call them rather than think-tanks need not be permanently fixed on the themes. Their gestation period could be one year and then new issues could follow. Hence, of course there may be no permanent 'jobs' at the new structure. However, there could be three or four or five anchors who could have a longer term of office.

While it is probable that the clusters will follow the usual themes - sectoral policies, security, employment, there are critical additions that need to be made given the current political economy configurations in the world. For example, amongst "thematic clusters"- as I would like to call them, - one could be on feminist approaches, and another on South-South initiatives.

Feminist academics and doers have made very meaningful interventions in theory and practice, on measures and methods of strengthening economic participation apart from deepening the knowledge on inequality. These go beyond what is called gender equality. But that cluster could also bring in the gender dimension, gendered analysis of the proposals by the experts on the other themes.

India and Indian media have not taken much notice of the recent conferences of the NAM (May 26-29) and G-77 (June 14-15) which are both genuine multilateral institution of the South, for the South, and by the South. Yet if one notices who is leading these configurations and what they are saying, there is clear indication that these groupings would affirm a certain independence from the current global forces.

As it is now re-envisioning it is important once again to not merely reform it, but to totally deconstruct the nature of the institution, its heavy bureaucracy. Liberate it from being a hand maiden of the government's policies. But let it enable the voices, the movements for justice to design in detail how they would design development to fulfill their agenda. The voice of labour, the voice of dalits and of course the voice of women. Also the knowledge driven views on linking of rivers, on building dams on mountains, on coastal and mountain development.Each of these subjects has enormous thinking and large movements seeking a hearing . The new structure could become not only a listening post but enable informed reasoning , leading to policy directives which protect India and her resources. And the case of communities who feel excluded to enable far greater inclusion of their intellectual contribution.

There needs to be a sense of impermanence, do the job and move on rather than making members permanent or for five years, which builds up bureaucracies which get tethered in the approach The purpose should be to listen to diverse views and concerns on a policy idea - so members could be those who are champions in that sector, dissenters as well as proposers, - include representatives from state governments, then from ministry... with an anchor who is technical expert on the subject cluster, say on, a program like ICDS, or a sector like Industry?irrigation...and so on.

Mobilisation

India has one of the most enduring communities engaged in mobilising of opinion and public action - being a democracy it has dissenters and this is the safety valve. so such representatives should be invited and the round table to continue to talk till some consensus is built . This government led by PM Modi, has spoken of being people oriented, involving people in policy making rather than making policy for them , this approach would match that idea.

Empowerment

In the case of groups who feel marginalised, they should not be separated, like a women's cluster or dalit empowerment cluster...their informed reps should be included in the main debates whether it is on agricultural credit or export zones , areas that look far away from their interest, but actually every area and sector has an input and outcome which affects people...and those who have been neglected or subordinated, can have a voice in these major sectors.

The clusters, after bringing out a policy paper, puts it out on the public domain, offers it to Parliament as a thought piece rather than as legislation that will also strengthen cooperation and make delivery more efficient. After time, a year or so, the policy papers can intersect to draw up the vision paper. Financial allocations can be undertaken by a finance commission, which is made permanent like the Election Commission... the ministries would consult states and then together use the commission and the finance ministry for allocation. Thus appointing members, a chair and such similar structures as the old planning commission would diminish the idea of a new approach. What is required is a slimming exercise accompanied by an impermanence.

- The writer is an economist and Senior Fellow, Delhi Policy Group