Private sector in Planning Commission
Business
Recorder, December 10, 2014
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Long gone are the
days of top -down planning commissions that directed the
economy from commanding heights; the future in todays
market-led globalized world lies only in what may be called
as indicative planning. This was the starting point of one
of the plenary sessions (titled: Planning in 21st Century)
at the SDPIs annual conference that kicked off yesterday in
Islamabad.
The panellists that included representatives from Indian and
Bangladeshs economic communities, along with their Pakistani
counterparts, agreed in identifying that planning in todays
world has to be a more dynamic exercise - something which
this column has been arguing time and again.
The reason for that is simple: the 21st century is on a
bullet train to evolution to the point that it is
increasingly becoming volatile. Anything and everything can
happen, so try not to be off guard; black swans that emerged
rather rarely in the preceding centuries are now emerging
more rapidly and dissipating at the same pace.
In such an environment, there are some who argue that why
plan in the first place. Why hold this sense of grandeur to
channel the economy and indeed the society in any direction?
they ask. But to these voices one must quip that just
because seas have become stormy it doesn mean that the
captain should stop giving directions to better manage the
ship and try to reach relatively safer waters. We all need a
sense of direction and a North Star to guide us.
One such North Star is the UNs MDGs that serve as the
guiding force in several countries. The same has been
adopted by and large in Planning Commission of Pakistans
latest Vision 2025 document. But there are two other
elements that Pakistans Planning Commission should consider
looking at.
First, as has been demanded in Indian constitution - though
not entirely practised to the fullest - is the adoption of
district level planning council. These are to help focus on
local variations in development, albeit of course it would
require a listening government, an effective local
government - things that remain elusive in Pakistans
society.
The second thing that this column would like to suggest is
to have members from the private sector on the board of the
planning commission, at home and abroad. These members
should come from the academia, the media, think tanks and
other representatives from the civil society. Perhaps even
representatives from business community, just so long they
do not hijack the commission to their favour alone.
The idea is not just to invite private sector input in the
planning process - as is done via external consultations -
but to have them on board in the execution and oversight
process as well. This would not only improve the feedback
loop, but would also be more consultative in a relatively
real time basis, as against a one-off consultative exercise.
Having private sector members on the board of planning
commission can also help the commission be more responsive
to the needs to the ever changing economy, and the society
at large, as the private sector is arguably better placed in
reading the pulse of the economy and react to it on a timely
basis.
When BR Research excitedly pitched this idea to Pradeep
Mehta, the secretary general of CUTS International - one of
India’s top civil society think tanks, to find out what he
thinks about it, he responded by saying that the same has
already been proposed in India. So much for a new idea!
Anyway, following the scrapping of India’s Planning
Commission by Narendra Modi, a policy proposal to have
private sector representation on the board of India’s
soon-to-be-launched new planning body has been put forward
and given Modi’s tilt towards the market, it will not be
surprising if that prescription is accepted. Whether
Pakistan adopts a similar strategy depends how visionary the
Vision-walas are.
This news can
also be viewed at: http://www.brecorder.com/
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See Also
Media Room
Regional Conference “A Scoping Study on the Impact of
Climate Change and Food Insecurity on Poverty in South Asia”
January 11, 2011, Magnolia, India Habitat Centre,
New Delhi, India
Outcome Mapping for Programme and Project Planning
February 15-17, 2011,
Hotel Jaipur Palace, Jaipur, India
Upcoming Events
Regional Conference “A Scoping Study on the Impact of
Climate Change and Food Insecurity on Poverty in South Asia”
January 11, 2011, Magnolia, India Habitat Centre,
New Delhi, India
Outcome Mapping for Programme and Project Planning
February 15-17, 2011,
Hotel Jaipur Palace, Jaipur, India
Conference on Reviewing the Global Experience with Economic
Regulation
April 18-20, 2011,
New Delhi,
India
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