The suspense over what the re-constituted National Advisory Council’s mandate would be is over.

Going by the agenda decided at its first meeting on Thursday, which was chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the 14-member advisory body would continue to push the social agenda with a clear focus on the “social policy and the rights of disadvantaged groups”.

Right at the top of the agenda is the National Food Security Bill. This is followed by “natural resource management, including revitalization of agriculture”.

Other 10 items listed out at the meeting are: development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Communal Violence Bill, land rights and land reforms, Right to Education, disadvantaged children, health security and medical insurance, social security and safety net for the disadvantaged groups, urban poverty, development of the Northeast region and Special Component plan for SCs and Tribal Sub-plan for the tribals.

In addition, NAC-II would also “review” the flagship programmes of the government and “suggest” measures to improve their implementation.

According to a statement issued by the NAC secretariat, the members agreed that the “primary focus ought to be on the pro-poor programmes”. The secretariat of the NAC will facilitate wider consultations with experts from outside, think tanks and government officials with the NAC members.

All the 14 members, including Jean Dreze, Aruna Roy, Harsh Mander, Madhav Gadgil, N C Saxena and Harsh Mander, attended it. They went to meet the prime minister thereafter. The next meeting of the council is scheduled for July 1.