New Delhi: Left parties today (Sep 8, 2004) asked the Government to reconsider the move to include representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and an American consultancy group in various Planning Commission bodies.

Describing the step as "unwarranted", the parties asked the Government to "explain why it wants World Bank representation in the Planning Commission when the Congress in Andhra Pradesh has held the World Bank's structural adjustment policies responsible for the miserable plight of farmers and ordinary people in the State".

In a statement, Left leaders A B Bardhan-CPI (Communist Party of India), Prakash Karat-CPM (Communist Party Marxist), Abani Roy-RSP (Revolutionary Socialist Party) and Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc), said the inclusion of representatives of international agencies and foreign private companies, "who have their own agendas and are in no way accountable to the Indian people, is an unwarranted step".

They said it was for the first time that representatives of such organisations were being included in the committees of the Commission, which is "accountable to the Government and mandated to draft and oversee implementation of the five-year Plans" and allocate resources to the States.

Union Ministry to grant environmental clearance to all new projects over Rs 50 crore or constructions meant for more than 1,000 people or discharging sewage of 50,000 litres daily.