Mamata Banerjee wishes to form Planning Commission like body in Bengal to honour Netaji

At a meeting on Monday (January 4), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that her government would come up with a similar body like that of the Planning Commission which was conceptualised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (January 4) said that her government would come up with a similar body like that of the Planning Commission which was conceptualised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Mamata Banerjee requested Amartya Sen and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew Sugata Bose to advise the state government on this initiative.

At a meeting, Mamata Banerjee said, “Netaji's Planning Commission has been dissolved by the central government. They have named it (the new body which replaced the institution) Niti Aayog or Niti Niyog, I do not know. Earlier, I used to go for meetings of the Planning Commission which sought suggestions from each state. Now we cannot share our views.”

The Planning Commission was a government institution that formulated India's Five-Year Plans besides performing other functions, was set up in March 1950 by Neteji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The Chief Minister demanded that Netaji's birthday on January 23 be declared a national holiday.

Mamata Banerjee also said that the Bengal government will set up a national university which will be named after Netaji. 

The chief minister also proposed to form a National Cadet Corps (NCC) like organisation in state-run schools and colleges and name it 'Jai Hind Bahini'.