Planning commission and national development council

Planning Commission and national development council

Planning commission

The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India, which formulated India’s Five-Year Plans, among other functions.

Background

Rudimentary economic planning, deriving from the sovereign authority of the state, was first initiated in India in 1938 by Congress President and Indian National Army supreme leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who had been persuaded by Meghnad Saha to set up a National Planning Committee. M. Visvesvaraya had been elected head of the Planning Committee. Meghnad Saha approached the great engineer and requested him to step down. He argued that planning needed a reciprocity between science and politics. M. Visvesvaraya generously agreed and Jawaharlal Nehru was made head of the National Planning Committee.The so-called “British Raj” also formally established a planning board that functioned from 1944 to 1946. Industrialists and economists independently formulated at least three development plans in 2012. Some scholars have argued that the introduction of planning as an instrument was intended to transcend the ideological divisions between Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru. Other scholars have argued that the Planning Commission, as a central agency in the context of plural Democracy in India, needs to carry out more functions than rudimentary economic planning.

After India achieved Independence, a formal model of planning was adopted, and accordingly the Planning Commission, reporting directly to the Prime Minister of India, was established on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the Chairman. Authority for creation of the Planning Commission was not derived from the Constitution of India or statute; it is an arm of the Central Government of India.

Composition of commission

The composition of the Commission underwent considerable changes since its initiation. With the Prime Minister as the ex officio Chairman, the committee had a nominated Deputy Chairman, with the rank of a full Cabinet Minister. Cabinet Ministers with certain important portfolios acted as ex officio members of the Commission, while the full-time members were experts in various fields like economics, Industry, science and general administration. Ex officio members of the Commission included the Finance Minister, agriculture Minister, Home Minister, Health Minister, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister, Information Technology Minister, Law Minister, Human resource development Minister and Minister of State for Planning.

The Commission worked through its various divisions, of which there were two kinds:

General Planning Divisions
Programme Administration Divisions

Functions

To make an assessment of the material, capital and human Resources of the country, including technical personal, and investigate the possibilities of augmenting those are related resources which are found to be deficient in relation to the nation’s requirement.
To formulate a plan for the most effective and balanced utilisation of country’s resources.
To define the stages, on the basis of priority, in which the plan should be carried out and propose the allocation of resources for the due completion of each stage.
To indicate the factors that tend to retard Economic Development.
To determine the conditions which need to be established for the successful execution of the plan within the incumbent socio-political situation of the country.
To determine the nature of the machinery required for securing the successful implementation of each stage of the plan in all its aspects.
To appraise from time to time the progress achieved in the execution of each stage of the plan and also recommend the adjustments of policy and measures which are deemed important vis-a-vis a successful implementation of the plan.
To make necessary recommendations from time to time regarding those things which are deemed necessary for facilitating the execution of these functions. Such recommendations can be related to the prevailing economic conditions, current policies, measures or development programmes. They can even be given out in response to some specific problems referred to the commission by the central or the state governments.

In his first Independence Day speech in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intention to dissolve the Planning Commission. It has since been replaced by a new institution named NITI Aayog.

National development council

The National Development Council (NDC) or the Rashtriya Vikas Parishad is the apex body for DECISION MAKING and deliberations on development matters in India, presided over by the Prime Minister. It was set up on 6 August 1952 to strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan, to promote common economic policies in all vital spheres, and to ensure the balanced and rapid development of all parts of the country. The Council comprises the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States or their substitutes, representatives of the Union Territories and the members of the NITI Aayog. It is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body.

Objectives

To secure cooperation of the states in the execution of the plan.
To strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan.
To promote common economic policies in all vital spheres.
To ensure the balanced and rapid development of all parts of the country.

Functions

To prescribe guidelines for the formulation of the National Plan, including the assessment of resources for the Plan.
To consider the National Plan as formulated by the NITI Aayog.
To make an assessment of the resources that are required for implementing the Plan and to suggest measures for augmenting them.
To consider important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development; and to review the working of the Plan from time to time.
To recommend such measures as are necessary for achieving the aims and targets set out in the National Plan.
To recommend measures for achievement of the aims and targets set out in the national Plan.

The Planning Commission was set up in 1950 by the Government of India to help the country achieve rapid economic Growth and development. The Commission was headed by the Prime Minister and had a number of members, including representatives of the central and state governments, as well as experts in various fields.

The Planning Commission was responsible for formulating the country’s five-year plans, which set out the goals and objectives for economic development. The Commission also played a role in coordinating the implementation of the plans and in monitoring the progress of development.

The Planning Commission was abolished in 2014 by the Narendra Modi government. The government argued that the Commission was no longer necessary, as the country had achieved a high level of economic development and was no longer in need of centralized planning. The functions of the Planning Commission were transferred to the NITI Aayog, which is a new think tank that is responsible for providing policy advice to the government.

The National Development Council was set up in 1952 by the Government of India to advise the government on economic planning. The Council is headed by the Prime Minister and has a number of members, including representatives of the central and state governments, as well as experts in various fields.

The National Development Council is responsible for reviewing the five-year plans and for making recommendations to the government on how to improve them. The Council also plays a role in coordinating the implementation of the plans and in monitoring the progress of development.

The National Development Council is still in existence. However, its role has been reduced since the abolition of the Planning Commission. The NITI Aayog is now responsible for formulating the country’s five-year plans and for coordinating the implementation of the plans. The National Development Council is now only responsible for reviewing the five-year plans and for making recommendations to the government on how to improve them.

The Planning Commission and the National Development Council have been criticized for a number of reasons. Some critics have argued that the Commission was too bureaucratic and that it was not effective in promoting economic development. Others have argued that the Council was not representative of all sections of Society and that it was not responsive to the needs of the people.

The future of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council is uncertain. The government has not yet announced its plans for these institutions. However, it is likely that the NITI Aayog will play a more important role in economic planning in the future.

The NITI Aayog is a new think tank that was set up in 2014 by the Narendra Modi government. The Aayog is responsible for providing policy advice to the government and for coordinating the implementation of the government’s policies. The Aayog is headed by a full-time chairman and has a number of members, including representatives of the central and state governments, as well as experts in various fields.

The Aayog is expected to play a more important role in economic planning in the future. The government has said that the Aayog will be more flexible and responsive than the Planning Commission. The Aayog is also expected to be more focused on results and on ensuring that the government’s policies are implemented effectively.

The future of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council is uncertain. However, it is likely that the NITI Aayog will play a more important role in economic planning in the future.

What is the difference between a planning commission and a national development council?

A planning commission is a body that is responsible for planning and coordinating the development of a country. A national development council is a body that is responsible for advising the government on economic and social development.

What are the functions of a planning commission?

The functions of a planning commission include:

Preparing a long-term plan for the development of the country
Coordinating the implementation of the plan
Monitoring the progress of the plan
Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan
What are the functions of a national development council?

The functions of a national development council include:

Advising the government on economic and social development
Formulating policies and programs for economic and social development
Monitoring the implementation of policies and programs
Evaluating the effectiveness of policies and programs
What are the advantages of having a planning commission?

The advantages of having a planning commission include:

It can provide a long-term vision for the development of the country
It can coordinate the implementation of development programs
It can monitor the progress of development programs
It can evaluate the effectiveness of development programs
What are the disadvantages of having a planning commission?

The disadvantages of having a planning commission include:

It can be slow and bureaucratic
It can be unresponsive to the needs of the people
It can be inefficient
It can be corrupt
What are the advantages of having a national development council?

The advantages of having a national development council include:

It can provide a forum for dialogue between the government and the private sector
It can help to coordinate the implementation of development programs
It can help to monitor the progress of development programs
It can help to evaluate the effectiveness of development programs
What are the disadvantages of having a national development council?

The disadvantages of having a national development council include:

It can be slow and bureaucratic
It can be unresponsive to the needs of the people
It can be inefficient
It can be corrupt
What are the challenges facing planning commissions and national development councils?

The challenges facing planning commissions and national development councils include:

The need to be responsive to the needs of the people
The need to be efficient and effective
The need to be free from Corruption
The need to be accountable to the people
What are the future prospects for planning commissions and national development councils?

The future prospects for planning commissions and national development councils are uncertain. Some experts believe that they will continue to play an important role in the development of countries. Others believe that they will be replaced by other bodies, such as independent agencies or private sector organizations.

The Planning Commission was set up in:
(a) 1947
(b) 1950
(c) 1952
(d) 1956
The Planning Commission was dissolved in:
(a) 2014
(b) 2015
(c) 2016
(d) 2017
The National Development Council was set up in:
(a) 1950
(b) 1952
(c) 1956
(d) 1964
The National Development Council is chaired by:
(a) The Prime Minister
(b) The President
(c) The Vice President
(d) The Finance Minister
The National Development Council is a body of:
(a) Central Ministers
(b) State Chief Ministers
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
The National Development Council is responsible for:
(a) Formulating the Five Year Plans
(b) Approving the Five Year Plans
(c) Monitoring the implementation of the Five Year Plans
(d) All of the above
The Planning Commission was abolished in 2014 and replaced by:
(a) The NITI Aayog
(b) The Ministry of Finance
(c) The Ministry of Planning
(d) The Ministry of Development
The NITI Aayog is a:
(a) Think tank
(b) Policy body
(c) Planning body
(d) None of the above
The NITI Aayog is headed by:
(a) The Prime Minister
(b) The Vice President
(c) The Finance Minister
(d) The Chief Economic Advisor
The NITI Aayog is responsible for:
(a) Formulating long-term strategies and policies
(b) Advising the Central Government on economic and social issues
(c) Monitoring the implementation of Central Government schemes
(d) All of the above