Question : Why has District Planning been marginalized in many States and remained prominent in a few States? Explain.
(2015)
Answer : According to fayol, Planning is at the heart of the organisation. It results in optimal utilisation of resources for achieving the desired goals. Keeping the importance of planning and considering the vast diverse nature of India, government has approved for decentralised planning in the form of district planning.
But District level planning is successful only in few and could not do well in other states for the following reasons:
Question : The objectives, approaches and organizational arrangements for decision-making of the NITI Aayog aim at restoring the federal character of the Indian polity. Explain.
(2015)
Answer : Since independence, Indian polity has grown with a strong centre. States, despite drawing powers from the Constitution and separation of powers have not realized their potential owing to –
The erstwhile Planning commission was the embodiment of these attitudes. The objective is to give the prior importance to states in the development agenda and going for cooperative federalism. The approach is to pay special attention ....
Question : Despite the adoption of decentralized planning, participatory initiatives remain marginalized and divisive in many regions. Discuss.
(2014)
Answer : Although there was some effort to decentralise the system, till 1980’s India was following centralized planning as the capacity at lower level was not developed. Shift towards indicative and decentralized planning can be seen by the beginning of 90’s. Today structurally India has decentralized and Participatory planning mechanism.
Question : Planning enables comprehensive and scientific understanding of problems. Examine the statement in context of planning methodology.
(2013)
Answer : The pressures of the people in a democratic set up have brought the welfare state. Planning has guided the economic development of the country since the beginning of the first five year plan. Plans formulated by the Planning Commission aim at the rapid all round economic development of the resources of the country. The progress achieved in development is also checked from time to time and remedial measures are adopted.
Planning evokes public cooperation for its ....
Question : To what extent has the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act created a ‘federation within a federation’ in India?
(2012)
Answer : 74th Constitutional amendment Act enacted in 1993 brought out the third pillar of federalism in form of Urban Local bodies under Part IXA of the constitution. After 2 decades of the Act enactment, it must be analysed how much the expected target of having federation within federation i.e. independence of Local bodies vis-à-vis the state government might have been realized.
The Act added a new schedule(12th) listing the subjects of working for the local bodies but ....
Question : (i) Explain the emerging ambiguity in respect of the developmental role of the District Collector in the wake of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act.
(ii) Justify ‘indicative’ planning in the context of LPG
(2012)
Answer : (i). Three-tier federalism has been established through 73rd amendment act in 1992. 11th schedule in the constitution allocates functions to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and lays down responsibility on these bodies. District collector has been given role to play in these bodies for effective implementation of developmental programs.
The states have enacted their own PRI laws based on the constitutional amendment. Some states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu have given wider powers to District Collector ....
Question : “Absence of District Planning Committees in a large number of districts has prevented convergence of planning at the district level.” Examine the above statement with examples.
(2011)
Answer : District Planning Committee (DPC) is the committee created as per Article 243ZD of the Constitution of India at the district level for planning at the district and below. The Committee in each district should consolidate the plans prepared by the Panchayats and the Municipalities in the district and prepare a draft development plan for the district.
An analysis of the functioning of DPCs and the formulation and implementation of ‘district plans’ in 14 States reveals the ....
Question : Explain the content and perspectives of the following statements:-
(i) The planning commission is an armchair adviser
(ii) The Planning commission should reinvent itself as a systems reform commission in the backdrop of changed global and domestic scenario.
(2010)
Answer : (i). Terming the Planning Commission as an ‘armchair advisor’, oblivious to the ground realities, Road Transport Minister Kamal Nath said he was forewarned that the Plan panel would not allow him to achieve a 20 km-a-day road-building target.
Sharing a dais with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi at a programme organised by the commission, Nath said, “When I joined this ministry. . . everybody asked me that Planning Commission will never ....
Question : Many of the programmes of development being implemented at the state and the local level have been initiated or financed by the Union government. This has transformed the nature of Indian federalism! Critically examine this assessment.
(2009)
Answer : In a country like India where there is plural society having a federal system of governance in which the pattern of relation is determined by factors like power and functions assigned to the units of governance. Since Independence till 1992 when 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts have provided Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban local bodies the constitutional status of being local self-government.
Therefore, since 1992 India has three tier of governance-center at the open, state ....
Question : Discuss the problems in the planning process at the state and sub-state levels.
(2008)
Answer : Almost all the State Governments have planning departments, each of which is headed either by the Chief Minister or by a senior Cabinet Minister. These planning departments of a State continues to be the key unit for the formulation and evolution of state annual and five year plans. Till the 74th Amendment Act in 1992, there was no planning body at sub-state levels. As Article 243ZD and 243ZE gave Constitutional status to planning at sub ....
Question : What are the tension areas in Union-State relations in Planning?
(2008)
Answer : Planning is a programme for action for a particular period for achieving certain specific progressive developmental goals. Socio-economic planning has been one of the most noteworthy inventions of the twentieth centuary.
In India significance of planning was recognized even before independence. It was only after the attainment of independence that serious thinking on the subject was resumed. The Planning Commission at the Union Government was set up on 15th March 1950.
But there is a presence of ....
Question : ‘The shift from the Nehruvian to the liberalisation model of development has necessitated reinventing government.’ Comment.
(2008)
Answer : India got independence from colonial rule in 1947. After that India adopted a socialistic pattern of planning. No private sector came forward to invest. State became main player. State took a lead in investing in all the fields. This socialistic approach is called as Nehruvian Approach. During Nehruvian Approach, State was involved in ‘doing’ the things. In almost all the sectors, State was involved. But once India adopted liberalisation, there was lot of changes in ....
Question : “In spite of having Constitutional status the District Planning Committee is not able to implement decentralised planning due to centralised nature of economic planning.” Comment.
(2007)
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 ....
Question : “National Development Council is criticized as an usurping authority-functioning as a virtual super cabinet”. Explain.
(2005)
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 ....
Question : “From highly centralized planning system, India has moved towards indicative planning under which long-term strategic vision of the future is built and nation’s priorities are decided”. Elucidate.
(2005)
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 ....
Question : “National Development Council was established to co-ordinate between union government, the planning commission and the state governments”.
(2004)
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 ....
Question : “Effective implementation of plan projects has been the weakest link in the chain of the entire planning programme”. Elucidate.
(2004)
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 ....
Question : “Indian Planning is highly centralized.” Comment.
(2003)
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 ....
Question : “National Development Council has virtually become a super cabinet and tries to arrogate itself the functions of parliament”. Comment.
(2002)
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, ....
Question : “Although District Planning Committees and Metropolitan Planning Committees have been provided, these remains mostly on paper.”
(2001)
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 ....
Question : “National Development Council, it seems, is like a super-cabinet.”
(2000)
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:
Question : “The Planning Commission continues to exist but some would say that it is withering away, along with real planning itself.” Comment.
(1999)
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 ....
Question : “State and district planning bodies in India have not been effective in achieving their goals.” Comment.
(1998)
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 ....
Question : For national planning, the commission type of organization was deliberately preferred. Examine the statement.
(1997)
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
Question : “The District Rural Development Agency is presently serving as the nodal agency of rural development at the district level.” Explain.
(1997)
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 ....
Question : After the creation of the Planning Commission, the role of the Finance Commission has started diminishing.” Review the statement.
(1996)
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 ....
Question : Development administration ultimately foils down to effective project implementation, and it is implementation has been badly neglected in Indian planning.” Critically examine the statement.
(1995)
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 ....
Question : “Special development programmes seek to solve special problems, but their successful implementation depends on complex inter-institutional linkages.”
(1995)
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 ....
Question : “Conceptually, district planning introduces a spatial dimension to the planning process at the state level.” Examine, in this context, the role of district planning in practice in different states.
(1995)
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 ....
