Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now meeting with all state Chief Ministers to discuss various aspects relating to the restructuring of the Planning Commission. Mr Modi will seek views of the Chief Ministers regarding the structure, scope and role of the new body that will replace Planning Commission. The government has already held detailed discussions with experts in different fields over the ways and means to bring the new body in tune with the changing times.

The Planning Commission, in the meantime suggested to a group chaired by the Prime Minister that its replacement body should be structured to meet the need of changing economic paradigm and comprise sectoral experts and states' representative. In her presentation before the group comprising Mr Modi and Chief Ministers, Planning Secretary Sindhushree Khullar said that the new institution might have 8-10 regulars or executive members with half of them representing the states. She suggested that the remaining members could be sectoral experts — environmentalists, financial experts, engineers, scientists and eminent scholars from different fields. The new body may be headed by the Prime Minister as the chairperson position would be ex-officio.

AIR correspondent reports that the meeting is being attended by the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Kerala. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is not attending the meeting and state Finance Minister Amit Mitra is representing the West Bengal.