PU-ISSER (BA HONS.

)
CONTEMPORARY INDIA- PRESENTATION

By- Gurnoor Brar

(Roll no. 19040750)
Teacher/Guide-
Dr. Shyama Bangar
From Planning Commission to NITI Aayog

• Planning Commission: Years active 1950-2014

• Responsible for planning in post-independence India

• Five year plans and few annual plans

• Dissolved in 2014 and replaced by NITI Aayog

• Five year plans replaced by 3-Year Action Agenda in 2017

• They have been chief bodies of planning, so comparing them is vital

• After independence, responsible for planning in India.

• For formal planning to be initiated at the national level, there was need for a permanent expert body.

• It took over responsibility of all aspects of planning: plan formulation, allocation and management of

resources, plan implementation and review

• The Prime Minister was the Chairman of the Planning Commission, and it worked under the overall

guidance of the National Development Council (NDC).

• The Deputy Chairman and the full-time members of the Commission provided advice and for the

formulation of Five Year Plans, Annual Plans, State Plans, Monitoring Plan Programmes, Projects and

Schemes.
 Planning
Commission

Non- Executive Union

Advisory Autonomous Technical
statutory Powers Cabinet

Composition
• Chairman – Prime Minister.
• Deputy Chairman-Union Cabinet Minister (Given Rank)
• Fulltime Members and the Member- Secretary are in the rank of
Union Minister of State.
FUNCTIONS OF PLANNING COMMISSION
Assessment of resources

Formulate an effective plan

Define priorities and stages of plan

Examine factors and conditions for successful execution of that plan

Determine nature of machinery required

Appraisal of large projects

Advice on important policy matters

Evaluation of programmes

Recommendation for allocating central sector schemes

Dissolution of Planning commission and coming of NITI Aayog-
On January 1, 2015, the 65-year old PC was formally abolished and replaced by
NITI Aayog. Whether this decision was a boon or a bane is a matter of debate.

NITI Aayog
• Sanskrit word “NITI” means morality, behaviour, guidance etc.
• In the present context, it means policy and the NITI stands for “National
Institution for Transforming India”.
• NITI Aayog seeks to provide a critical, directional and strategic input into the
developmental process of the country.
• Aims to build a strong state that will help to create a dynamic and strong
nation.
Composition of NITI Aayog
Functions of NITI Aayog
• To act as a think tank and provide Central and State governments strategic and
technical advice on key elements of policy.
• Developing itself as a state-of-the-art resources centre, with the necessary
resources and skills that will enable it to provide strategic policy vision for the
government and deal with contingent issues.
• To foster cooperative federalism through better Centre-State coordination.
• To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans and policy framework at the
village level and at higher levels of the government.
• To monitor and evaluate the implementation of programmes, focus on technology
upgradation and capacity building.
• To publish various socio-economic indices.
Planning Commission
1. PC enjoyed the power to allocate funds to
Ministries and State Governments.
2. It issued dictums to State Governments for its
implementation.
3. A kind of Top-Down approach was followed in
formulating plans.
4. Decisions were more centralized.
5. Had eight full-time members. No provision for
part-time members.
NITI Aayog
1. It has no financial power of fund allocation. It is
only a think tank. Now fund allocation is done by the
Ministry of Finance, GOI.
2. It issues guidelines in consultation with State
Governments.
3. Bottom-up approach is followed.
4. Decentralisation to ensure cooperative federalism.
5. Four full-time members and maximum two part-
time members.
Planning Commission
6. Had Deputy Chairperson and Member
Secretary other than full-time members. Did not
have the post of Vice-Chairperson and CEO.
7. Reported to NDC (Comprising of CMs and Lt.
Governors)
8. Used to impose policies on states.
NITI Aayog
6. Has the post of Vice-Chairperson, and one post
of CEO nominated by Prime Minister.
7. Has governing council of CMs and Lt.
Governors
8. No power to impose policies; just an advisory
body.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA REPLACED THE FIVE YEAR PLANS

The National Development Agenda of NITI Aayog includes following three documents:
1. Vision document
2. Strategy Document
3. Action Plan Document
CONCLUSION
Planning commission played a pivotal role in India’s emergence from a beaten country during
British rule to a nation with ambitious development goals. Therefore, after the abolition of
Planning Commission, an era of economic history of independent India came to an end. There has
been constant debate among several groups as to whether it was better to revive or abolish the
planning commission. Many say NITI Aayog is a more robust organization, while others remark
that due the abolition of the National Development Council and its replacement by regional
councils, the limited say the states had on policies and the flow of funds has further
declined. Whatever be the case, it is said that the transition from the Planning Commission to the
NITI Aayog reflects the completion of the transition from a state professing anti-imperialism to a
neo-liberal state. How the new organisation has performed and will perform would be matter of
debate and review in the years to come.