Montek reviews Plan progress

Manmohan to visit Thailand in July for BIMST-EC meet

Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday held extensive discussions with advisers of the commission on blending the policies mentioned in the common minimum programme (CMP) into the Budget and the proper implementation of the Tenth Plan programmes.

Ahluwalia met the advisers and reviewed the progress made in various sectors. He is likely to meet the members of the commission tomorrow and seek their views on the implementation of various programmes and achieving targets set in the Tenth Plan.

Ahluwalia, who will take charge from July 1, is also expected to meet Twelfth Finance Commission Chairman C Rangarajan on Tuesday, according to sources.

The officials concerned are also expected to make presentations on the progress made in sectors like rural development and energy.

Ahluwalia has already met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, besides Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh.

Manmohan Singh, in his first foreign visit after assuming office, will travel to Thailand next month for the summit meeting of the BIMST-EC, an economic grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Thailand was looking forward to the Prime Minister's visit for the two-day summit from July 30, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told External Affairs Minister

K Natwar Singh, when he called on him in the east Chinese coastal city of Qingdao yesterday.

Both sides expressed happiness at the cordial state of bilateral affairs and looked forward to further strengthening of ties in areas of mutual interest, an external affairs ministry spokesman told reporters here.

Preparations are also underway for Manmohan Singh's visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly session in September.