Sonia Gandhi to pick new members of National Advisory Council

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was yesterday reappointed the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), is finalising the composition of the new team that may be put in place soon.

Sources said the council members could be decided by Gandhi in the next few days so that the advisory body could guide the government in giving a boost to planned key programmes including the proposed Food Security Bill.

The council has been revived at a time when issues like Communal Violence Bill and the proposed national law on health and water are engaging the attention of the government.

Two MPs are likely to be inducted in the new set up from which Union ministers are likely to be kept out. It is unclear whether Rahul Gandhi wants to be part of the team or want to devote to the party organisations fully.

Gandhi was yesterday appointed chairperson of the council, four years after she quit the post in the wake of a over 'office of profit' controversy.

Under the special provisions, an MP being appointed as a member of the NAC, he or she cannot draw any perks, allowances or remuneration from the Council.

The Council is Gandhi's brainchild and it was first set up after UPA-I came to power in 2004.

V Krishnamurthy, NC Saxena, Dr D Swaminadhan, CH Hanumantha Rao, Sehba Hussain, Madhav Chavan, AK Shiva Kumar, professor Mrinal Miri and Jairam Ramesh were members of the first NAC, whose term ended on March 31, 2008.