The planning commission will submit its approach paper on the 12th five-year plan to the prime minister on April 21. The approach paper will discuss the goals for  the upcoming plan period - double digit growth and inclusive growth. It will also be discussing a strategy to correct infrastructure leaks.

This approach paper is unique in the sense that for the first time the planning commission drafted the twelfth five-year plan in consultation with civil society groups. However, the civil society groups have their fingers crossed. “I am very happy with the opening up of the process as the planning commission was very sincere in taking inputs from us,” Amitabh Behar convenor, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA) told Governance Now. “There is scepticism before the civil society groups whether this will be translated into plan process.”

However, the civil society groups also plan to bring their own approach paper ‘Shadow Paper’ to the plan process before April 21. “The civil society is very clear that we respond to the planning commission’s approach paper on whether they have taken our inputs seriously or not,” says Behar. “Does it reflect aspirations of the common people (sic) so we are responding to it and will also bring rejoinder once planning commission approach paper becomes public,” he added.

Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA), which tracks government policies in the social sector presented brief notes on the subjects - basically demands from the civil society groups after wide consultation with different groups in meetings all over India. The civil society groups sent the inputs to the planning commission by January 15, 2011.

The planning commission approach paper consists of 80 pages written by Pronab Sen, principal adviser to the panel. Arun Maira and Syeda Hameed - planning commission members coordinated with civil society groups, making it possible for the interests of previously excluded segments be heard. The planning commission also put up an interactive website and a Facebook page for the citizens to contribute ideas for the next plan.

Manmohan Singh who is also chairman of the planning commission and other members will clear the planning commission’s approach paper to the 12th five year plan in the subsequent meeting.

The approach paper will be placed before the union cabinet. Once approved by the cabinet, the national development council (NDC) will clear the approach paper in the meeting of the chief ministers of the states. The prime minister is the head of the NDC. The approach paper is a key document and forms the basis of the 12th five year plan, which is for period 2012-2017.