Montek gets into Budget act

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman-designate Montek Singh Alhuwalia is likely to plunge into work even before he formally takes charge early July.

Alhuwalia, who is cutting short his trip to China, is likely to make an assessment on Saturday of the Commission's deliberations with the finance ministry on gross budgetary support for the 2004-05 Plan.

He is expected to meet the Commission's Member Secretary Rajiv Ratan Shah in this connection. Alhuwalia had stated that he will try to take charge of the commission by July 1.