Plans And Priorities

Answer : The DPC was established to facilitate the process of decentralization in planning process.

But the influential centralized planning has not helped to serve the real purpose.

The main task of District Planning Committee was to coordinate the planning process between Zila Parished and Development officers. It was also to coordinate between Zila Parishad and Municipality of Town, if exist.

But, the Planning Commission and National Development Council proved to be very powerful as they are headed by the authority not less than the Prime Minister of India. The power of allocation of resources, mode of their use, the right to monitor, review, evaluate and moreover coordinate among various planning authorities certainly lies with there strong agencies. This makes the small decentralized bodies like DPCs as mere followers of directions from the apex level.

Therefore, though, the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act gave legal protections to the DPC, the real power enjoyed by agencies at central level still plays an important role in the field of economic planning.

Answer : National Development Council was established in 1952 by a resolution of the cabinet on the recommendation of planning commission. This is composed of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all the states and the members of the planning commission.

The working of the National Development Commission has very often been criticized on several grounds. It has also been described as a ‘super cabinet’. The NDC is a body obviously acquired superior position the planning commission. It is, indeed a policy making body and its recommendation cannot but are regarded as policy decisions and not merely as advisory suggestions. NDC is also criticised, as it lays down policy directives invariably approved by the cabinet. Since their inception the N. D. C and its standing committee have virtually relegated the planning commission to the status of a research arm.

In practice, it has no doubt, become a very important body and its decisions are generally accepted. But this basically due to its composition and influential membership. It is some kind of summit conference between the chief executives of the state sand the centre. To quote Tarlok Singh “ It is the highest national forum for planning” which “ has in practice embodied and given informal sanction to the underlying concept of partnership and co-operation between the centre and the states over the whole range of development”, and “ which brings state governments into an organic relationship with the organisation of planning at the national level”.

National Development Council is also said to be an institution which leads to the country on broad issues of policy and promotes collective thinking and joint action on matters of national importance.

The hegemony of the NDC can be explained by one instance like in October 1990, the NDC introduced a new formula of determining the central assistance to states replacing the old Gadgil formula. Although there were doubts concerning the feasibility of the revised formula, the consensus among the states was clearly in favour of increasing the central assistance in view of the enhanced responsibilities of the states. K. Santhanam had once remarked that the NDC was like a ‘super cabinet’. This statement was made basically in view of the composition of the NDC which includes some high profile political heads. The decision of the NDC, as is generally observed are mostly adopted without any modification by the union and state governments.

However, the status of the NDC, is transformed so as to make it a powerful and expanded constitutional authority, it will have a telling impact on the whole politico-administrative system.

Answer : Planning means a systematic utilization of the available resources at a progressive rate so as to secure an increase in output, national dividend, employment and social welfare of people. India is a developing country, it does not yet fall under the category of economically advanced nations. Planning commission has been made responsible for almost all aspect of planning except its execution. On the basis of execution of plans, planning can be either centralized or decentralized (indicative). Under centralised planning, the entire planning process in the country is under one central authority. This authority formulates a central plan, fixes objectives, targets and priorities for every sector of the economy. This mode of planning was initially practiced by the socialist countries, especially the erstwhile USSR, while implementing their comprehensive or imperative plans. There is no economic freedom and the entire planning is based on bureaucratic control and regulation.

Indian planning for few decades remained centralized, largely under the control of central government without caring or taking concern of states government. This led to lack of transparency and accountability in the planning process.

Given to scarcity of resources the deployment of public funds becomes difficult, for meeting development targets. There should be accountability not only in monitoring to prevent the leakage but also to deliver results on time.

Centralised also leads to gap between projected Annual plan size and Realised plan. The projected plan goes beyond what the resources warrant. This leads to distortion of policies and thin spread of resources.

Another facet of centralised planning is of course unbalanced development. This is one of the challenges facing Indian planning is to bring about balanced regional development. All parts of the country are not equally endowed with social and physical infrastructure to take advantage of growth opportunities. The problem of imbalance exists not only at an inter-state level but also at the intra-state level.

From highly centralized planning system, India has moved towards the indicative planning under which long the strategic vision of future is built and nations priorities are decided.

Depending on its orientation, planning can be either indicative or imperative. In this type of planning principle of decentralization is applied and it is flexible. National priorities are fulfilled by inducing pubic sector economy side by side with the private sector regulated by various controls, quotas and license. Since the government is not directly controlling these private sector industries but only indicating its preferences by issue of licenses, quotas and other guided controls, this is called as indicative planning. France follows this type of economic planning.

Indicative planning is a peculiar to a mixed economy where both public and private sectors co-exist. The state provides all types of facilities to the private sector but does not direct it; rather it indicates the areas in which it can help in implementing the plan.

Answer : The National Development Council was constituted in 1952 on the suggestion of planning commission. Its members are Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all states, all cabinet minister of central government, members of planning commission and Administrators of UTs.

The framework for planning is submitted to the central cabinet. After it is placed before the NDC. The NDC indicates the rate of growth and broad priorities to be assumed for the purpose of further work on the plan. Thus it is linked to union government in the planning process.

In order to obtain the cooperation of the states, the planning commission also evolved some machinery. The most important was the National Development Council. This is an ad-hoc improvised body but a convention has been established that its decision will be binding on the govt.of India and states. As matter stand, the NDC is actively and extensively associated with policy-making at the summit.

The NDC has also expressed itself in favour of the policy of extending cooperative farms in the country and has even laid down broad principles for guiding the organization of cooperative societies and the assistance to be given to them.

Answer : Planning process have broadly aimed at increase in growth rate, extensive modernisation, establishment of socialistic pattern of society, removal of poverty and promotion of heavy and capital good industries. But still our growth rate is inadequate. Thus there has been a wide gap between targets and achievements implementation of the plan projects have been rather inadequate. While formulating plans, the practicability of the schemes must be kept in view.

Answer : In India, the federal set-up envisages planning units at different territorial levels, besides the national level. But this is not the case, the planning in India is highly centralized. In practice decentralization is not found in India because of weak planning units in villages, blocks and districts.

Planning Commission has come under heavy criticism. One of the criticism advanced is that it is working on Parkinson’s law and thus its machinery has become top heavy which is not conducive to efficiency. Then another point of criticism is that there is excessive centralization of functions vis-à-vis central ministers and state governments. Not only this critics point out that planning commission has not manifested the quality of a truly brain trust organization. Then it is also said that planning commission has forgotten its advisory role and instead of being only an adviser, it has always tried to impose itself on the government and that too without any clear decisions and firm views. It has also been pointed out that commission has gradually become a rigid organization, unable to relate itself to political and administrative institution, particularly at the implementation level.

The role of planning commission in Indian administration cannot be under-estimated. In spite of its defects, it has become a pivot point round which the whole administration now revolves. The punch of planning commission is felt at every stage of administration.

Answer : National Development Council is one of key organizations of the planning system in India. It symbolizes the federal approach to planning and is the instrument for ensuring that the planning system adopts a truly national perspective the NDC has experienced numerous ups and down in its fortunes.

The NDC successfully function as a useful link among the union government, the planning commission and the state governments. Despite the fact that it is not a constitutional authority, its role has remained respectable over the years. The functioning of the NDC since its inception in 1952 reveals that there is hardly any matter of importance which it is not competent to discuss. Its preoccupation are raised and many, and a persual of its original terms of reference fails to provide a total picture of its actual functioning. In practice, the council makes recommendation pertaining to the overall size and structure of the plan. The plan, in draft is placed before it for its general approval. Also, the council periodically meets to undertake review of the plan, thus, securing its co-ordinated implementation. In addition it concerns itself, with important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development. In the past, NDC has deliberated and decided on a number diverse issue like inter-regional disparities, panchayati raj, prohibition, agrarian cooperation and irrigation levies.

Also, its composition includes Prime Minister, the Chief Minister of all the states, and the members of the planning commission. Along this fact that, the decisions of the NDC have been in the nature of policy formulation. It would not be an exaggeration to call it the ‘super cabinet’.

Answer : In India, the Federal Set-up envisages planning units at different territorial levels, besides the national level. Multi-level planning means the divisions of planning functions at different levels in hierarchy, i.e., State, District, Taluka Village, Municipality, etc. As the planning process moves down-wards, two trends emerge: (1) The objective becomes more proximate, and (2) The plan becomes more detailed.

A few states have established District Planning Committee or Boards. They mostly comprise district officials and experts available in the district. Their functions are chiefly advisory. Despite their existence, planning for the Districts in many states is undertaken at the state level. This is justified on the ground that the District Planning agencies lacked expertise. District planning also suffers from not having competent machinery. The Deputy Commissioner who heads the District Planning Committee finds it difficult to devote much attention to planning work. Lack of adequate data is another major lacuna. As district plan has to be integrated with the state plan, the District planner should know in advance the size of their plan. On account of these reasons district planning is not effective.

Same is the case of Metropolitan Planning Constitutional Amendment Act which provides for District Planning and Metropolitan Planning. At metropolitan level the staffing is more suited to implemented task rather than for planning functions. The technical expertise is not at all available. It approves to build up the necessary planning capabilities. Even though decentralized planning is not effective, it is essential to collect data for planning by the local staff.

Answer : The National Development Council is one of the key organizations of the planning system in India. It symbolizes the federal approach to planning and in the instrument for ensuring that the planning systems adopt a truly national perspective.

The functions of the National Development Council are as fellows:

1. To prescribe guidelines for the formulation of the national plan.
2. To consider the national plan as formulated by the planning commission
3. To assess resources required for implementing the plan and to suggest ways and means for raising them.
4. To consider important questions of social and economic policy affecting development.
5. To review the working of the plan from time to time and to recommend such measures as are necessary for achieving the aims and targets articulated in the national plan.

Now, as far as its structure is concerned, the Prime Minister is chairman of NDC, it comprises all union cabinet ministers, chief ministers of states, chief ministers/chief executives of the union territories and members of the planning commission.

K.Santhanam had once remarked that NDC was like a ‘super cabinet’. He made this observation in view of the NDC comprising the members of the union cabinet and the chief ministers of the states. It was also argued that decisions of NDC were generally adopted without any modification by the union and state governments.

Answer : India launched a government sponsored, 5-year plans in 1951. The objective of the Planning Commission was to make India self-reliant and free from the grip of un-employment and poverty within a period of 20 years. Now after about 50 years of planning the objective remains unfulfilled.

The planning process assumed an important role in view of changes in economic policies, reforms and structural adjustments. The 8th plan detailed at great length the role of planning in the reformist regime. The conclusion is that in our country, because of the existence of large sectors of poor people and less developed regime, an agency which can plan and coordinate all the economic activities of the states and the centre is necessary in order to protect the poor, the environment and ecology, to have a policy on population growth and to take care of the future in general.

Markets have to be fully developed. Infrastructure needs have to be met. Social sectors like primary education, health and minimum needs, etc., are the primary responsibility of the government. In such a situation, planning becomes more indicative. Since the Planning Commission has developed the requires expertise in formulating the welfare schemes such as ‘minimum needs programme’, it will be most appropriate to utilize it for formulating schemes for fulfilling the basic needs of the people and guide the nation to grow rapidly economically and socially.

Answer : State planning and district planning bodies lying in the lower hierarchy of the planning commission, for the past 56 years has not been able to prove its efficiency in achieving their targets.

While examining the performance of the state planning bodies in several states, one is clearly reminded of the Riggsian model of “formalism”, according to which, in a prismatic society, administrative reforms are introduced, but their actual implementation is generally ‘cosmetic’ and ineffective.

The main reason is the complacency of the political leaders and the bureaucrats with the existing governmental machinery in the form of the planning department and its associated and attached agencies which are viewed as adequate enough to take care of the present planning system. As far as planning process is concerned, there is a feeling that a few part time experts from outside would be unable to bring any realistic vision into the planning system.

Again there is another unexpressed official version is that since most of the assistance for the outlay of the state plan comes only from the centre, there is little scope left from state government for its development.

Answer : The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) is the key instrument and agency of the government for the implementation of the IRDP. Each district has its own DRDA, registered under the societies Act, 1958. Despite the fact that DRDA is a registered society it is, for all practical purposes, a government agency. District Collector is the chairman of DRDA.

The primary aim of the DRDA is the implementation of Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP).DRDA identifies the families below the poverty line. To some extent, the DRDA also contributes to plan formulation and occasionally, to project formulation for the future by obtaining proposals from the district level officers and compiling and coordinating them at the same level committee of rural development for final decision making. A DRDA keeps the district and block level agencies informed about the basic requirements of the programme and the tasks to be performed by these agencies. It prepares comprehensive development plans for every block in the district. These plans are prepared in such a manner that the target group families derive the maximum benefit on a lasting basis.

The planning team under the DRDA is in charge of drawing up detailed plans for the implementation of the Integrated Rural Development programme in all the development blocks of the district. The planning team accompanied by the subject matter specialists are required to visit the blocks and in consultation with the blocks staff, assess the natural resources of the area and the potential development schemes that can be implemented in the blocks taking into consideration the needs of the local population. Based on such assessments of the potential of each block and the locally available resources, the planning team of the DRDA draws up a tentative Integrated Rural Development Programme for each block. Once the plan is approved, the DRDA has to oversee the implementation of the plan.

Thus, DRDA is the nodal agency of rural development at the district level.

Answer : The Planning Commission constituted in March 1950 by a resolution of the Govt. of India, and works under the overall guidance of the National Development Commission.Instead of choosing any short of constitutional body for national planning we opted for commission type of organization, because

1. The commission type of organization enjoys a certain amount of independence. Here the policy or methods to be employed are not fully decided, but given to the members who are chosen from political and mostly from different specific fields, for decisions and administration. They have to collectively discover the needs, problems, facilities and solutions by mutual discussions and deliberations in the meetings. Thus, they are able to formulate the policy and strategy under a given direction to achieve the results.
2. Commission type of organization are quite advantageous, in places where multy-party interests act in deciding the matters, and interests are conflicting, a reconciliation has to be made by mutual discussions, and exchange of views is possible in a commission.
3. In certain organizations, by their very nature, the controlling powers will have to be vested in a person. A vast authority of discretionary powers will also have to be vested in a person. Since no person is infalliable, to keep an individual at the helm of affairs is not beneficial either to the organization, nation or to the people. In such places the commission type of organization is recommended.
4. Because of one-man rule, there is danger of dissension and dissatisfaction resulting in splitting of the organization. In commission, people having of different calibre and expertise and each will have a band of sympathisers and supporters. So getting along with them will stabilize the organization and the benefit of expertise in different fields will be available to the organization. Hence commission type of organization was preferred for national planning in India.

India’s socio-economic and political system is pluralistic, which requires an organization having persons from different background specialized in different fields including the chief politician from different parts of nation. All these personalities throw different dimension on national planning, such pluralistic members can be found only in commission type of organization.

Answer : Planning Commission, the central agency of planning in India established in March 1950 by a resolution of the Central Government while the Finance Commission holds its root in the constitution (Art. 280).

The Finance Commission makes recommendations to the president regarding the distribution between the centre and states of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be divided between them of the respective shares of such proceeds, the principles which should govern the grants-in-aid at the revenues of the states out of the consolidated fund of India; and any other matter referred to the commission by the president relating to the matter.

Of late, planning introduced not only a political complexion in the relationship between the union and the states but enabled the union to tighten its financial grip over the states. The centre by giving grants and loans on the advice of the planning commission, controlled the administration of the state subjects like education, irrigation, road-making, animal-husbandry, co-operation, industrial labour and employment, etc.

For instance, according to the relevant data, out of a total revenue of the states of Rs. 73,140 million during the third plan period, the grants provided on the recommendation of the Finance Commission under Article 275 of the constitution constituted only 4.9% while the discretionary grants made by the central government on the recommendations of the Planning Commission, under Article 282 of the constitution constituted 13% of the total revenues. This shows the monopoly of Planning Commission. The grants provided on the recommendations of the Planning Commission are political and discretionary. The trend is that the grants under Article 282 are going upwards whereas the grants under Article 275 have a slower rate of growth than grants made under Article 282.

Thus, these decades the line on which a state should develop its economy is determined for it by the centre through the Planning Commission. The planning system has become a factor in the erosion of state autonomy. It has led to the imposition of uniformity of policy in spheres like land tenure, agriculture and education where such uniformity produces disastrous consequences.

There has actually an overlap of functions between Finance Commission and Planning Commission with regard to the dispensation of central grants. The Planning Commission began to assume responsibility for the allocation of national resources among different sectors and regions of the economy. The constitution did not anticipate this role of the Planning Commission. Since the Planning Commission was engage in the determining of grants-in-aid towards the financing of the state plans, it was suggested that the recommendation of the Finance Commission should be restricted to non-plan requirements of the states in their revenue budgets.

Diminution of the relative importance of the Finance Commission, a quasi-judicial constitutional body, devolving the major responsibility of grants-in-aid of the states to the Planning Commission, an agency created by the Central Government, has been a cause of concern among several State Governments.

Answer : Planning in a vast country like India, with a considerable degree of diversity between regions, planning by a sole central planning agency can even be counter productive. Therefore, ever since independence there has been a strong trend in the country in support of democratic decentralization of the planning process. Broadly, the concept of democratic decentralization means the involvement of the people of various stages of plan formulation and implementation, under such a scheme of things planning would have to be done at the central level, at the state level and at level below the state, that is at the block and the village levels. At the district level the struggle for setting up a planning machinery has been a torturous one.The earliest attempt in this direction was the Community Development Programme an its sequel the Panchayati Raj system. These were attempts of the 1950’s to build structures for people’s participation in planned development. They laid greater stress on people’s participation in planned development rather than on the technical aspect on details of planning as such.

As part at the Community Development Programmes the states were asked to prepare district and village plans as early as in 1954. However, decentralized planning got a slightly clearer shape with the recommendation of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee in 1957. The committee stated that local plans under the CDP was to be joint responsibility of people’s representative assisted by the development staff. The states were expected to lay down the broad objectives, the general pattern and the measure of financial, technical and supervisory assistance available. The concept of block and district budgets were introduced. While the Zilla Parishad was the forum of people’s participation, the officials in charge of development departments at the district level were placed under the overall guidance of the District Collector who was to be assisted by an Additional Collector and a District Statistical Officer for planning and evolution purposes.

It has been observed, that in majority of states, no attempt seems to have been made to improve personnel resources at this level. Even in the case of states which have set up something like ‘District Planning Machinery’, the composition of staff reflects that there has no serious attempt to induct technical skills in planning.

The recommendations of the working group were followed by the first serious attempt by the planning commission to set up a competent district planning machinery.

District planning, despite the fact that its importance has been realized and its need has been stressed again and again, has yet to become a reality.

Answer : Special development programmes are initiated for special problems which can be either because of any particular situation like large scale devastation by any natural calamity where these development programmes are initiated right after relief work for the rehabilitation of victims, or it can be for and special group or community who due to any reasons have remained outside the very apparatus of development are lagging behind from rest of the country.

These programmes can be started in the regions like the tribal areas which due to the lack of accessibility have remained underdeveloped. The problem may be many but one thing is sure about these programmes is that they require highest level of coordination for their successful implementation.

Every problem has many facets and in order to tackle the problem in a wholistic way one requires a complex mechanism which comprises of many government agencies and departments. For example in tribal areas if any special programme is initiated for their development then all the ministries of education, health, economic, commerce, agricultural etc. should coordinate effectively with each other.

The complex interlinkage between various developmental institutions requires a huge quantity of coordination and control. Because only then can any special programme be effectively implemented. Implementation have always remained a bone of contention in India’s development as we still are not able to remove the flaws which arises because of poor interlinkages and communication between different developmental institution.

Answer : One of the core area of concern in recent years in India has been the effective implementation of all the development projects and works. In this fast developing world it becomes imperative for a country to keep pace with rest of the countries, failure in which can result in situations like lagging behind and a feeling of exclusion.

There had never been a major problem with the policy making or planning. Neither there had been any problem with resource mobilization. But still India is not developing at a pace, which it is actually capable of. All this is due to the ineffective and corrupt implementation. Any planning process culminates in its true spirit only if it is honestly, judiciously and prudently implemented in a time bounded manner.

Right from the first plan in 1950s till now implementation seems to be the only concern which is not duly addressed. Development administration do not merely depends upon the formulation of policies or planning but it is actually dependent upon the final result which show in field. To what extent a planning is worthy or not depends upon the implementation. But in India every five year plans contains hundreds of plannings which are really good, still the actual development remains low and the efficiency is very low. The reasons for low efficiency are never taken care off.

If we see then we will find that in India the bureaucracy is exceptionally strong which resist any changes and reforms. Most of the administrators are corrupt or do not take their work seriously. The result is ineffective and insufficient implementation. This not only causes the heavy losses to the country’s resources but also hampers the developmental growth of that country in virtually every field.

The minister and civil servant relationship has not been ideal as the civil servants now seems to aligning themselves with some particular ministers or party. They are not able to tender the honest advices and this causes further loss at the implementation level. The tenders for all developmental activities are given to their own men. This wide spread despotism, nepotism, patronage all result in failure of planning.

It is high time now that this much talked issue of implementation be given due respect and tackled in a serious way otherwise seeing India as one of the world’s super power will always remain a distant dreams.