15th Five-Year Plan: Former Keralam Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac slams Planning Board’s decision to empanel outside agencies

A Keralam State Planning Board move to involve consulting firms and think tanks along with research institutions in the preparation of Keralam’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2027-2032) has drawn criticism from CPI(M) leader and former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac.

Mr. Isaac wrote on Facebook that the decision reflected the V.D. Satheesan-led UDF government’s decision to transform the Planning Board into a ‘think tank’ on the lines of the NITI Aayog. He alleged that discussions in the Working Groups of the Planning Board, which are customarily tasked with preparing comprehensive reports for the drafting of the plan document, will now be curated by these outside agencies.

Mr. Isaac alleged that Mr. Satheesan is doing to the Planning Board what the BJP-led Union government did to the Planning Commission.

The board’s October 3 notification seeks to empanel “Nationally-reputed consulting firms, think tanks, research institutions and other professional organisations for professional, research and technical support for preparation of Keralam’s 15th Five Year Plan (2027–32) and other assignments.” It adds that the board intends to prepare the Plan through sectoral and thematic working groups comprising experts, government officials, academics, industry representatives and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Planning Board officials termed Mr. Isaac’s charge baseless. The board’s notification indicates that experts deputed from the empaneled agencies will “supplement” the expertise available within the government and the working groups. Planning Board Vice-Chairperson K.M. Chandrasekhar reacted to Mr. Isaac’s charge saying that the former Finance Minister is trying to create a controversy, and that it has “no meaning.” “We want to do something that benefits the people,” he said.