Congress plays down report on Sonia Gandhi as NAC chairperson

Congress today downplayed reports that party President Sonia Gandhi would be appointed as the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC).

Gandhi was the NAC chairperson when the body was formed in 2004 but quit the post along with her Lok Sabha seat following the office-of-profit controversy and sought re-election from Rai Bareli in UP.

Reports had it that Gandhi had agreed to head the NAC again and the Congress has begun to scout for members for the council which could be in place by April.

Media reports said the NAC would scrutinise the works for food security legislation, besides keeping a watch on the UPA's flagship schemes - the existing ones as well as those which may be launched now.

In a statement, AICC general secretary, Janardan Dwivedi dismissed the report saying, "The party is not aware of this.
Ask the government".

As the NAC was headed by Gandhi in its previous avatar, its role was believed to be all-encompassing and not merely of an advisory body.

The NAC was sort of an interface between the government and other stakeholders of the society with Gandhi keeping a close eye on the programmes of the government with inputs on behalf of the civil society.