Non-planned consequences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi acted true to form when it came to taking the decision to scrap the Planning Commission and replace it with another advisory body. The day before his Independence Day speech, at which the announcement was made to much approval from leading policy wonks, Modi held a meeting of senior ministers to discuss the decision. But neither the secretary to the Planning Commission Sindhushree Khullar nor anyone among the Planning Commission's senior staff were consulted. They are reportedly so miffed that a revolution of sorts is brewing at Yojana Bhavan. Sources said they are planning to avail themselves of the prime minister's invitation to the general public to comment on an online portal. To this end, they have composed a dissent note and plan to upload it on the portal soon.