Binayak Sen vows to do his best in Plan Panel

New Delhi: Elated over his appointment as member of a key committee of the Planning Commission, civil rights activist Binayak Sen on Thursday vowed to do his best to provide "equity" for deprived communities in health-related

issues.

61-year-old Sen, convicted on charge of sedition by a court in Chhattisgarh, was on Wednesday appointed as member of one of the steering committees to give his inputs for 12th Plan (2012-17) on health-related issues.

"I am very happy to get this information (of the appointment on Plan panel's committee). I would do whatever I can... I will surely attend the first meeting of the committee. I will like to bring on board and work for ensuring further equity in health-related issues for deprived communities," Sen told PTI.

"I would bring my experience (to the panel) and my focus would be on health equity, Sen added.

The 40-member steering committee on health is expected to hold its first meeting on May 25 or May 26.

He further said his wife Ilina has received a communication from the Plan panel in this regard.

"We have appointed Binayak Sen as member of the steering committee on health to advice for 12th Plan. It was Planning Commission's proposal to appoint him," Plan panel Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had told reporters.

Syeda Hammed, Member, Planning Commission on Health, had said that Sen has been appointed on the important committee as "he has worked in the area of malnutrition in tribal children".

"We need his input on malnutrition in tribal children while formulating the 12th Plan," she added.

The rights activist, a paediatrician, has worked in Chhattisgarh's tribal belt.

He has been sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of sedition and links with Naxalites by a lower court. The Supreme Court granted him bail in April after which he was released from Raipur Jail.

Sen, the Vice-president of People's Union of Civil Liberties, was sentenced to life imprisonment along with Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal and Kolkata businessman Piyush Guha for colluding with the Maoists to establish a network to fight the state.

His conviction and sentence had led to an outrage from many quarters, including from international human rights bodies.