NewKerala.com

EAC-PM: Sounding Board for Policy, Not Crisis Management: Nilesh Shah

Nilesh Shah, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM, clarified that the body acts as a policy sounding board rather than a crisis management team. The council, comprising full-time and part-time members, focuses on long-term policymaking through regular meetings and research. Key contributions include pushing for process simplification and improving patent office efficiency. Shah emphasized that while consultations may increase during crises, the council's role remains distinct from operational crisis handling.

Key Points: EAC-PM Focuses on Policy, Not Crisis Management: Nilesh Shah

  • EAC-PM acts as a policy sounding board for PM
  • Council focuses on long-term policy, not day-to-day crisis
  • Initiatives include process simplification and patent efficiency
  • Full-time members handle bulk of research and analysis
2 min read

PM's economic advisory council acts as 'sounding board', focuses on policy, not day-to-day crisis management: Nilesh Shah, Member EAC

Nilesh Shah explains the EAC-PM's role as a policy sounding board, focusing on long-term initiatives like process simplification, not daily crisis management.

"We are like the sounding board for the Prime Minister... ours is more like contributing into policymaking. - Nilesh Shah"

New Delhi, April 23

The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister primarily acts as a "sounding board" for policymaking and does not engage in day-to-day crisis management, said Nilesh Shah, Member of the council.

Explaining the functioning of the council in an interview with ANI, Shah said, "We are like the sounding board for the Prime Minister... compared to let's say Chief Economic Advisor or NITI Aayog, which are full-time institutions... ours is more like contributing into policymaking."

He noted that the EAC-PM comprises full-time members and part-time members, with the bulk of research and analytical work undertaken by the former.

"The majority of workload is taken by the chairman and full-time members... we have regular meetings amongst ourselves where... research on policymaking is shared and inputs are taken. The council meets on a regular basis, about once a fortnight with members and twice a year with the prime minister. The PM also calls meetings as and when required," he said.

Shah emphasised that while the council may increase consultations during turbulent periods, its role remains focused on long-term policy rather than immediate crisis response.

"Undoubtedly, whenever there is a crisis... more meetings happen. But please remember that we are more for policy making than for day-to-day crisis management," he said.

Highlighting the council's contributions, Shah pointed to initiatives such as process simplification and improving patent efficiency.

"One of the agenda pushed by EACPM was process simplification... including Jan Vishwas Bill. The second one was improving efficiency of patent offices... now number of patents is increasing significantly," he added.

On his individual role, Shah said he contributes insights from his expertise in financial markets. "My expertise is in the market. If I find something which is needed from a policy-making point of view, I pass it on to the EACPM secretariat. Sometimes we also get inquiries from PMO about policy making," he noted.

The remarks come amid heightened global uncertainties, where questions often arise about the government's institutional response mechanisms. Shah clarified that while bodies like the EAC-PM provide critical policy inputs, operational crisis handling lies elsewhere in the government framework.

"We are more for policy making than day-to-day stuff," he reiterated.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Interesting perspective from Nilesh Shah. Being a 'sounding board' sounds great in theory, but in times of economic slowdown or global crisis, doesn't the PM need more hands-on advice? 🤔 Sometimes I feel these councils end up being just another layer of bureaucracy. Still, if it helps improve patent filings and reduce red tape, it's a step forward.
R
Ravi K
Bharat needs more policy focus, not just crisis management. Our economy has potential but we keep getting bogged down by short-term issues. The emphasis on process simplification and patent efficiency is what will make India a global hub for innovation. Hope the council also addresses agricultural reforms and rural employment – those are the real long-term challenges.
S
Sneha F
Nice to see financial market expertise being used for policymaking. But I'm slightly skeptical – how much impact does a part-time council really have? Meetings once a fortnight with members and twice a year with PM sounds pretty relaxed for an 'advisory council'. Still, if Shah's inputs on patents and simplification are implemented, that's a win. Let's see more tangible outcomes.
M
Michael C
As someone who follows Indian economic policy from abroad, I find the EAC-PM's role as a 'sounding board' quite interesting. Many countries have similar advisory bodies, but India's scale makes it unique. The patent efficiency improvements are particularly noteworthy – that could attract more foreign investment in R&D. However, I'd like to see more direct correlation between their advice and actual policy changes.
N
Neha E
It's good that the council focuses on policy, but in a country like India where crises are frequent – inflation, unemployment,

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50