NITI Aayog furthering corporate agenda, says RSS-affiliate BMS

RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has demanded reorganisation of the NITI Aayog, accusing it of furthering corporate lobby's agenda in the country.

The demand for reorganisation of the policy think tank, making it "more broad based with inclusion of farmer, labour and women representatives", was mooted in the triennial conference of BMS held in Kanpur earlier this week.

"NITI Aayog is instrumental in misguided and direction- less reforms taking place in the country which lack concern for the common man. It is committed to a powerful corporate lobby functioning in the country," said BMS (north central region) organisation secretary Pawan Kumar.

He further alleged that the planning body has given an "anti-labour face" to the government, due to its proposals on labour law reforms.

BMS will hold nationwide protests and submit petitions to the Prime Minister, urging him for reorganising NITI Aayog and rejecting its "anti worker" 'action plan' document on labour and employment, Kumar said.

"If the Prime Minister fails to listen to us and address our demands, BMS will lay a siege to Parliament in November and make things difficult for this government," he claimed.

BMS also opposes the government's policy of disinvestment of Public Sector Units (PSUs), he said, claiming the move will weaken the economy.

"Public Sector Units contribute 20 per cent of the government's revenue. Disinvestment of these profit-making enterprises is like selling your gold for going to picnic," Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh leader said.

The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015.

It is the premier policy 'Think Tank' of the government, providing both directional and policy inputs.