Asserting that it was incorrect to say foreign consultants were in the Planning Commission, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said only experts of Indian origin have been nominated to its consultative committees.
"It is incorrect to say that 14 foreign consultants have been included in the Planning Commission. They are of Indian origin and have been nominated as representatives of organisations, including World Bank," he said.
Chidambaram, however, said the matter regarding inclusion of the consultants was under reconsideration.
The Left parties, extending crucial support to the UPA Government from outside, have opposed the inclusion of 'outsiders' in the Commission's consultative committee meetings.
Veteran CIP(M) leader Jyoti Basu had on Friday said that the Left parties would take up the issue at the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting soon after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from his foreign tour.