{{Short description|Advisory body, 2004–2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = National Advisory Council | nativename = | logo = | logo_caption = | formed = 4 June 2004 | dissolved = 25 May 2014 | jurisdiction = India | headquarters = New Delhi | technology centre = | regional offices = | employees = | budget = | chief1_name = Sonia Gandhi | chief1_position = Chairperson | chief2_name = | chief2_position = | department = | child1_agency = }} The '''National Advisory Council''' (NAC) was an advisory body set up by the first United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2004 to advise the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh. Sonia Gandhi served as its chairperson for much of the tenure of the UPA government. Its aim was to assist the Prime Minister in achieving and monitoring missions and goals.

==History== The NAC was set up on 4 June 2004 by prime minister Manmohan Singh, during the tenure of the first UPA government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/sonia-gandhi-returns-as-head-of-national-advisory-council-nac-18688.php |title=Sonia Gandhi returns as Head of National Advisory Council (NAC)|publisher=NDTV |date=29 March 2009|access-date=25 November 2017}}</ref>

==Organization (2010–2014)== The NAC - II consisted of a mix of activists, bureaucrats, economists, politicians and industrialists: * Sonia Gandhi - chairperson. * Mihir Shah - Member, Planning Commission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://planningcommission.nic.in/aboutus/history/index.php?about=mirishah.htm |title=About Us: Planning Commission, Government of India |publisher=Planningcommission.nic.in |date= |access-date=2014-02-09}}</ref> * Narendra Jadhav - former bureaucrat & Member, Planning Commission. * Ashis Mondal - Director of Action for Social Advancement (ASA), Bhopal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://nac.nic.in/members/ashis_mondal.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128030906/http://nac.nic.in/members/ashis_mondal.htm |archive-date=28 January 2013 | title=Shri Ashis Mondal, Member NAC | publisher=National Advisory Council, Government of India | access-date=13 September 2019 }}</ref> * Prof. Pramod Tandon - Vice Chancellor, North Eastern Hill University. * Deep Joshi - social activist. * Farah Naqvi - social activist. * Dr. N. C. Saxena - former bureaucrat. * Anu Aga - businessperson. * A. K. Shiva Kumar - economist.<ref>{{cite web|author=Smita Gupta |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article452119.ece |title=Manmohan acknowledges key role of NAC |work=The Hindu |date=2010-06-10 |access-date=2014-02-09}}</ref> * Mirai Chatterjee - Coordinator, SEWA, Ahmedabad.

The members who served on the NAC and later resigned are * Aruna Roy - former bureaucrat. * Prof. M.S. Swaminathan - agricultural scientist and MP. * Dr. Ram Dayal Munda - MP. * Jean Dreze - development economist. * Harsh Mander - author, columnist, researcher, teacher, and social activist. * Madhav Gadgil - ecologist. * Jayaprakash Narayan (Lok Satta)- former bureaucrat.<ref>Jayaprakash Narayan (Lok Satta)</ref>

==Drafting bills== The NAC was responsible for the drafting of several key bills passed by both UPA governments, including the Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act, MNREGA, and the Food Security Bill.

== Criticisms == The concept of a NAC has been criticized by opposition parties and some scholars as not being in keeping with India's constitution, describing it as an alternative cabinet.<ref>[http://go4quiz.com/vincent/2010/india/national-advisory-council-is-unnecessary/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922120327/http://go4quiz.com/vincent/2010/india/national-advisory-council-is-unnecessary/|date=22 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Mathew Idiculla |url=http://governancenow.com/views/columns/nac-think-tank-super-cabinet-or-unconstitutional |title=NAC: think tank, super cabinet or unconstitutional? |publisher=GovernanceNow.com |date=2010-06-02 |access-date=2014-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/formation-of-nac-unconstitutional-sonia-super-pm/110695/ |title='Formation Of Nac Unconstitutional; Sonia Super PM' |work=Financial Express |date=2004-07-19 |access-date=2014-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/soniabenisthemostpopularpoliticianinindia/597734/ |title=Sonia as NAC head is {{sic|psu|edo-Constitutional|nolink=y}} power centre: BJP |work=Indian Express |date=2010-03-30 |access-date=2016-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108051529if_/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/soniabenisthemostpopularpoliticianinindia/597734/|archive-date=2016-01-08 |quote=BJP on Tuesday said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi's appointment as Chairperson of National Advisory Council has created a 'psuedo-Constitutional power centre' which would lead to 'redundancy' of the post of Prime Minister.}}</ref> The NAC also finalized draft recommendations for a mandatory pre-legislative consultative process which led some to believe that constituted members of parliament are less important.<ref>[http://nac.nic.in/plp_press.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812235127/http://nac.nic.in/plp_press.htm|date=12 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/laws-for-citizens-and-by-them-too/1117995/0 |title=Laws for citizens, and by them too |work=Indian Express |date=2013-05-20 |access-date=2014-02-09}}</ref> It was criticized by some scholars for drafting the communal violence bill in 2011, stating that it will "exacerbate communalism" and destroy "the foundations of our federal structure".<ref>R. Jagannathan, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190406043359/https://www.firstpost.com/politics/9-reasons-why-the-communal-violence-bill-is-itself-communal-17573.html "9 reasons why the Communal Violence Bill is itself communal"], ''Firstpost'', 30 May 2011.</ref> The NAC was also accused of exercising an outsized influence over the central government. The council ceased to exist when the BJP government took office after the 2014 Indian general elections.

==See also== * National Integration Council ==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/907061.cms Editorial] in the ''Times of India'' on NAC. *[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040703/nation.htm#4 statement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309033758/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040703/nation.htm#4 |date=9 March 2024 }} by George Fernandez, leader of the opposition on the formation of NAC.

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Category:Councils of India Category:Members of National Advisory Council, India Advisory Category:Defunct government agencies of India Category:2014 disestablishments in India Category:2004 establishments in Delhi