New Delhi: Eminent economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia was today appointed Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.

Ahluwalia, who was part of the team under then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh that started reform process in 1991, is presently with the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the post, which he is expected to relinquish next month (July 2004).

The new Planning Commission Deputy Chairman was in New Delhi recently en-route to Beijing. He had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

Apart from serving as Economic Affairs Secretary and Finance Secretary under both Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram, Ahluwalia has also served as member of Planning Commission in the rank of Minister of State.