Press Release
Dear All yesterday I have tendered my resignation from member of Planning Commission on Voluntary Sector to the Chair Person, Steering Committee on Voluntary Sector. Planning Commission of India. Today I had a press Conference at 11am in Lohiya Academy and here is the press release.
Date- 17/10/2011
To
Dr. (Ms.) Syeda Hameed
The Chair person, Steering Committee on Voluntary Sector
Planning Commission, Govt. of India
Yojana Bhawan, NewDelhi
Subject- Resignation from Steering Committee on Voluntary Sector in Protest Against Planning Commission Anti-People Stand on Policies and Poverty
Madam,
Surprisingly I was nominated as a member of the steering committee though I am a known opponent of present economic policies for Privatisation and liberalization which are directed and monitored by the World Bank, IMF and Global Imperial Forces of Capitalism.
The work for the steering committee was to recommend how peoples organization can participate in the process of planned economy on which formulation of the twelfth five year plan will take place. But before such recommendations the formulation of plan draft had been published. So the formation of the steering committee is meaningless and it is an eyewash to project that 12th five year plan is prepared with people’s aspirations. This draft has been formulated to privatise public sector like health, education in full speed and to handover national common resources to the corporates.
Recently the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Shri Montex Singh Ahluwalia’s affidavit on ridiculous definition of poverty before the Supreme Court is very much insult to the poor peoples of our country.
Dr Arjun Sen Gupta’s committee had found 78% of our rural population has capacity of daily expenditure less than twenty rupees where as in Odisha less than ten rupees. Therefore it is understood that the 12th five-year plan draft is for Corporates, Private Players and for looting our resources at the cost of Public Sectors and poor peoples right to free services like health, education and food.
My appeal to the members of Planning Commission to make strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS) and its accessible to 78% of population in our country. There should not be cash transfer as substitute for PDS. The affidavit must be withdrawn. For peoples participation Gramsabha must be the foundation to take decisions on projects for villagers.
Minimum wage should be Rs250 under NREGA and this should be revised according to the price rise as per case of Govt. employees. For free education concept common school system should be included under Right to Education Act. Public Health Service to every village should be ensured. Old age pension to Tribals and Workers in Hazardous Field like mining and polluting plants should be given at the age of fifty years
So as a protest to anti-people plan formulation and unjustified stand on poverty I resign from the membership of steering committee on Voluntary Sector, Planning Commission, Govt. of India. This letter of protest be treated as letter of resignation.
With Regards
Prafulla Samantara
Member, Steering Committee on Voluntary Sector, Planning Commission
Convener, National Alliance for Peoples Movements (NAPM)
Lohiya Academy, Unit-IX, Bhubaneswar, Orissa