National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?

[M K Singhal]

National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?

The National Advisory Council (NAC) of India is an advisory body set up to monitor the implementation of the UPA government's manifesto, the Common Minimum Programme(CMP). It is also informally called as UPA's Planning Commission for social agenda. It is a brainchild of Congress party president, Sonia Gandhi who is also it’s chairperson  and hence holds the status of a cabinet minister. The members of this council are nominated by PM in consultation with the NAC chairperson. The funds for the functioning of this council are provided from the budgetary allocation for the Prime Minister's Office. The NAC has often been criticized by opposition parties and scholars as not in keeping with India's constitution, and that it is actually an alternative, unelected cabinet. 

Thus, in its present form, it is an advisory council that seeks to involve citizen groups in the planning and monitoring of govt schemes at govt cost. Since the ruling party head is NAC head and all NAC members are selected and appointed by PM and NAC head, NAC actually only tries to reinforce govt views in the garb of citizen views.

In my opinion, the idea to have NAC as an advisory body for planning and monitoring of govt schemes (including laws) is very good. But it’s constitution needs to be changed so as not to have political party heads and their chosen members but to have well known social workers like Anna and others as it’s head and other members and to let them give their free, frank and unbiased suggestions on the various laws that the govt may have framed or may be contemplating to frame and on the desirable planning and monitoring of projects. The NAC could naturally hold seminars etc, get research studies carried our as necessary and hold referendum, as necessary before firming its views in any matter which should then emerge as the real citizen’s views in any matter.

Reader views are invited on this subject.

This could form the basis for citizen participation in governmental activities.

[jaiprakash narain]

NAC is nothing but a body to give official strength to Sonia Gandhi to be super PM.it is only for her ego satisfaction etc.in fact it is doing no work n no monitoring of their social agenda since there is no social agenda there is only a chor agenda to looto this nation on the name of welfare scheme since non of the scheme is producing any positive result.maximum money sanctioned for social schemes goes in the pocket of the party n its ministers n political workers of the party. --- On Thu, 15/9/11, M K Singhal <mk.si...@yahoo.co.in> wrote:

[vudathala nandagopal]

Dear all,
There is an urgent need to identify one lakh very honest and upright persons from the society, preferably retired personnel with impeccable records and proven integrity to be part of any organisation / agenda of Shri Anna team. These personnel need to be given a I.D.Card who would be watch dog for NAC or any other organisation. and given specific tasks and to report to Lokpal leader. all these one lakh or more people need to dec lare their assets and liabilities and these will be in public domain and any misdeed of these personnel could be brought out by other volunteers and strict action be taken against such personnel.

---

Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:37:57 +0530
From: col...@yahoo.co.in
Subject: Re: [HumJanenge] National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?
To: humja...@googlegroups.com

[jagdish nauni]

NAC, in its present form is primarily to give legitimacy to the decisions of Madam Sonia Ganghi and her proxy-the present govt of India, and hood wink the public that these decisions are the voice of Public. In the recent case of the Lokpal Bill of Anna,When the UPA Govt was playing games with Anna's team Ms. Aruna Roy presented her, Lokpal Bill just to mislead the Pubic.In order to create confusion other wise her version could have been discussed earlier with Anna Team. Aruna Roy is a reputed activist and has the RTI to her credit but she will lose credibility by.such actions .

 

Jagdish nauni                                                                                                                     

[Devendra Tripathi]

Very refreshing and exciting idea, Vudathala. Not sure if this is just a thought or there is organizational backing on it, but if it is taken forward, I think it will provide a great spinal support to the movement that Anna-ji and his team (and for that matter Baba Ramdev) is building.

 

And if I go by expereince of US (after WW-II) possibly the people from military can perform this job the best.

 

Regards,
Devendra Tripathi
Cell: +1(408)416-1848

From: vudathala nandagopal <nanda...@hotmail.com>
To: humja...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 9:34 AM
Subject: RE: [HumJanenge] National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?

Dear all, There is an urgent need to identify one lakh very honest and upright persons from the society, preferably retired personnel with impeccable records and proven integrity to be part of any organisation / agenda of Shri Anna team. These personnel need to be given a I.D.Card who would be watch dog for NAC or any other organisation. and given specific tasks and to report to Lokpal leader. all these one lakh or more people need to dec lare their assets and liabilities and these will be in public domain and any misdeed of these personnel could be brought out by other volunteers and strict action be taken against such personnel.

Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:37:57 +0530From: col...@yahoo.co.inSubject: Re: [HumJanenge] National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?To: humja...@googlegroups.com

[mukund parikh]

It is absolutely true what Jagdish Nauni & others have written here about NAC. Please note that Ms. Aruna Roy has neither prepared nor submitted any draft of Lokpal Bill as being projected including by the govt. She only made out few points but those were not in interest of strong Lokpal Bill but just to dilute it as suited to the government hence IAC members had their differences with her. It is beyond any doubt that most of NAC members are for the Govt interest only as selected. 

Mukund Parikh, V.P. Up-nagar Mumbai,

Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan Nyas: Anna Hazare

---

From: jagdish nauni <jagdis...@gmail.com>
To: humja...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, 17 September, 2011 10:20:22 PM

Subject: Re: [HumJanenge] National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?

[Sarbajit Roy]

Dear Friend

Our group is probably the only mailing list in India which says that ALL of these NGO "haramis" (who sing for their supper) are to be denounced. These people - and let me name them - Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Aruna Roy, Shekhar Singh, Harsh Mander, Venkatesh Nayak, MSS, Jean Dreze, Wajahat Habibullah, Anna Hazare, Shailesh Gandhi,  etc etc are all PROFESSIONAL PARASITES. They are absolutely incapable of earning money by HONEST WORK and their sole trip in life is to masquerade as "holy people" who know what is good for EVERYBODY ELSE. In the process if these holy cows are financed by a) "The Mammaries of the Indian State" or (preferably) b) "The Mammaries of FOREIGNERS", the rest of us (aka "great unwashed public") should keep our mouths shut and simply applaud their media antics.

Sarbajit

[arun gurtoo]

such extra constitutional bodies can never be good for the development of our democracy. it is drafting and debating bills is the domain of the parliament. no wonder our parliamentarians r busy enriching themselves 

---

Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:56:49 +0530
From: mk.si...@yahoo.co.in
Subject: [HumJanenge] National Advisory Council (NAC) of India: What it is and what it should be?
To:

[Sant Mathur]

Ha the constitutionality of NAC bben challenged in any Court of Law,on a variety of grounds,including the one under Art 14?

Can any political party start an NGO,by whatever name,and seek State funding,of course,citing reasons loftier than those done to establish NAC?

How has most expensive State property been kept at the diusposal of NAC?

Is every aspect of it(NAC),like selection of personnel(members/staff) covered by Art 14? Is Artv 16,too,applicable as the institution runs on State funding?

Some smart RTI legal hand could find innumerable loopholes/queries and seek responses to set the record straight,and enlighten the nation.

Lots of shady activities of a variety of politicos have remained shrouded in mystery.Time the veil was taken off and reality brought forth for the cleare know of the general public.

spm 

[dte]

EASY TO CRITISISE, but DIFFICULT TO DO SOMETHING CONCRETE & POSITIVE.

Even assuming foreign funding, at least they have managed to bring centre stage the PLAGUE of CORRUPTION , This surely would bring about some positive change, howsoever small.
Something better than nothing , especially better than unfounded criticism and allegations ????

-- 
AK Acharjee
Mgr -Circulation

email d...@cseindia.org
website  www.downtoearth.org.in

[Hari Goyal]

Can't you be little more sensible and avoid using abusive language? You have done more harm to RTI movement than those who are openly denying information and not implementing any decision of the CIC.  --- On Mon, 19/9/11, dte <d...@cseindia.org> wrote:

[M.K. Gupta]

I demand that any member using unparliamentary and foul language should be expelled from this group.  V shld not allow bad name to our group because of one/some members. --- On Wed, 21/9/11, Hari Goyal <rtid...@yahoo.co.in> wrote: