After winding up all the 19 consultative groups set up for Mid-Term Appraisal of the Tenth Plan, the Planning Commission is carrying out consultations with outside experts as well as chief ministers for their inputs on the issue.
"We are engaging in extensive consultations (for MTA). We are in fact talking to experts, inviting outsiders to address the commission on what the MTA should focus on. Today it was an address by Sam Pitroda to tell us what he thinks the MTA should focus on," Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters after an hour-long discussion with the telecom industry expert.
"In Sam's view, serious applications of e-governance is one such method which could make the average person feel in a short period of time, say two years, that it has improved the quality of life," Ahluwalia said.
Pitroda is the second outside expert to have met the Commission members and advisers after Ajit Singh of Cambridge University.
Pitroda said he would come back soon and "review collectively" with the Commission about the initiatives needed to make e-governance more user friendly.
As part of the MTA, Ahluwalia is also expected to meet the chief ministers from the third week of this month.
The MTA would be ready by November 25 to be placed before the Cabinet by December 15. The National Development Council, scheduled to meet here in early January next year, would review it before taking policy initiatives.
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