Commissions In India

Planning Commission India

An important institution in India’s governance system, Planning Commission (India) has key role to play in country’s economic planning for the overall growth. It has a say in the country’s system of governance through active role in keeping the whole economic plan in order for that this Commission had been setup for consecutive periods of five years each to work as an autonomous body for effective economic planning and governance.

About Planning Commission (India)

Central Government had constituted Planning Commission (India) as crucial body to work extensively with the consecutive term of five years as country’s Five-Year Plans for economic and social sustenance cum governance. A historic leap was by the freedom fighter, Netaji Subhas Chanrda Bose in 1938 while he brought an idea of such economic planning which was aimed at country’s sovereign authority. The first such idea came while he was Congress president and insisted for its formation.

A Planning Commission had already been constituted by the British before India’s independence that was for a short tenure from 1944 to 1946. By the time India achieved freedom from British its democratic setup involved industrialists as well as economists to work independently and form development plans that could prove helpful to change country’s economic planning.

First & Subsequent Planning Commissions (India)

India adopted formal model of planning by constituting its 1st Planning Commission after independence on March 15, 1950. This Commission team was authorized to report to Prime Minister directly as first Prime Minister, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was its chairman and rest members were supposed to work in coordination with Deputy Chairman of this Commission. This system continues even to this day and the Prime Minister chairs this Commission in the capacity of ex officio through doing the close observation of Commission’s activities.

key motive behind constituting 1st Five-year Plan and its launch in 1951 was to assure country’s agricultural sector getting more support for timely growth and the complete development. Two more plans were formed as subsequent Planning Commissions until 1965 but a break came thereafter due to neighborhood conflicts between India and Pakistan during that period.

Some more issues hindered formation of Planning Commission for two more years when country faced drought condition and currency devaluation issues respectively. These two issues caused rise in general prices. The 3rd Planning Commission was setup from 1966 to 1969 and then things normalized with the setup of 4th Five-year plan starting from 1969.

Since then Five-yearly Planning Commission continued until disruption in the setting up of 8th Plan in 1990 which did not formulate due to country’s political instability. Two years from 1990-91 to 1991-92 were considered for annual plans until setting up of 8th Plan in 1992.

Composition of the Planning Commissions (India)

There has been too many changes in the composition of Planning Commissions (India) ever since it was incepted. The Prime Minister of India is ex-officio chairman of this Commission but a nominated Deputy Chairman is give the complete power of a full Cabinet Minister to head Commission team and report developments to the Prime Minister. Several Cabinet Ministers are involved to work as part time members of this Commission.

Members serving this Commission full-time are those from the industry and experts from various areas of specializations. Main areas they represent include economics, industry and general administration besides science & technology sectors. Although there are numerous divisions of Planning Commissions (India) but below mentioned ones are important:-

• General Planning Divisions
• Programme Administration Divisions

Mandate

Planning Commission (India) had been constituted with the mandate to function through close coordination with Office of the Prime Minister for the Five yearly economic planning of the country. As this Commission is independent one and doesn’t derive drive anything related to its creation from judiciary or the statute it remains one of the important organs of the Central or Union Government to closely work as a body for country’s economic planning and reforms.

Indian government keenly focused on the growth of public sector from the 1st to 8th Plans. These Five-year plans therefore keenly focused on huge investments in the heavy and basic industries. With the establishment of 9th Planning Commission (India) in 1997 there was a drastic change in the mandate and Plan structure. Main focus of Five-year plans shifted to the growth of other areas rather than the public sector which was common trend until previous plans were formed. Some of the important areas for which this Commission has been mandated to function are as follows:-

• This Commission does an assessment of whole materialistic, capital and human resources in the entire country through taking into account technical aspects as well and involving experts to investigate factors for best usage of resources for country’s growth.
• Formulation of plan which makes things more effective and perfect utilization of resources in the country.
• Determining multiple stages through prioritizing things with the aim to allocate various resources to yield better outcome.
• Assessing factors which indicate delaying of country’s economic growth.
• Determination of all those conditions which smoothens country’s successful plan execution without impacting too much on socio-political situation.

Recommendation Reports

Planning Commission (India) has been submitting its report to the Office of the Prime Minister on regular intervals. Such reports mainly focus on determining all types of machineries required to successfully secure the implementation of plans formulated on all stages. The reports are directly assessed and discussed by the authorities for implementation for the interest of the nation.

Implementation of Recommendations

Most of the recommendations submitted by the Planning Commission (India) has been implemented. Some of them are in the implementation phases while rest are ready for execution. As most such recommendations are part of the country’s policy measures and application they are successfully implemented for the overall plan implementation to support the country grow through overall progress.