Changes in Plan panel, NSC on cards

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22: With Parliament session coming to an end tomorrow, the Vajpayee Government is contemplating a series of changes in...

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22: With Parliament session coming to an end tomorrow, the Vajpayee Government is contemplating a series of changes in the Planning Commission and the National Security Council.

K C Pant, Deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, is being sounded for the post of Deputy chairman of the National Security Council. The Government has been under considerable pressure for the past sometime inside and outside that a full-time person be deputed to handle the national security affairs.

It has been pointed out by the Opposition and those concerned with the national security that the chairman of the NSC i.e. the Prime Minister is extremely busy and cannot cope with its day-to-day functioning. Similarly, National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, is also holding other key positions in the Government.

Therefore, Pant be brought as deputy chairman of the NSC who can coordinate security related matters and assist the Prime Minister. Pant has been Defence Minister in the Congress regime.

Secondly, the Government is keen to rehabilitate M Raj Shekhar Murthy, a senior Karnataka Congress leader who recently joined the BJP. He had vast experience in planning and finance. Though Murthy can be brought to the Rajya Sabha also from Karnataka, it is felt that B S Yedurappa, president of the BJP8217;s Karnataka unit, be brought to the upper House.

In the event of Pant expressing his reluctance for the NSC post, he may be inducted as chairman of the Indo-British Forum with a Cabinet rank. Rama krishna Hegde who was peeved for not being inducted into the Union Cabinet, has given his consent to head the Indo-French Forum. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is reported to have persuaded Hegde to accept the Indo-French Forum post in the larger interest of harmony within the National Democratic Alliance.

The name of I P Singh, a former diplomat who joined the BJP recently, is to head the Indo-German Forum. Hegde and Singh would also be given Cabinet rank, according to informed sources.

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Pant, it is learnt, was also reluctant to move out of the Planning Commission and conveyed it to the senior BJP leaders. However, the BJP is keen to bring in a new face in the planning commission who can orient the planning according to party8217;s ideology.

The Government is also in the process of appointing a new chairman, deputy chairman and five members to the headless Minority Commission. While the chairman Tahir Mohammad retired on November 25 this year, the last serving member to retire on December 11.

It has been decided that a retired judge of either the Supreme Court or a high court belonging to the Muslim community would be inducted. Instead of inducting a serving or retired politician, the Prime Minister was keen that a person belonging to judiciary be brought in for the post.

However, Tarlochan Singh, a member of the BJP8217;s media team, is being sounded for the post of the deputy chairperson. S S Ahluwalia who quit the Congress to join the BJP, had declined to accept the Minority Commission8217;s post.