Planning Machinery at the Central Level in India.
The Planning Commission of India is responsible for the planning process of the country but it has no sanction of its own, it is basically a non-political advisory body. The Commission has full-time members and their number has varied from time-to-time.
Many a time Union ministers are appointed to Commission as part time members. While the Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Commission, it has a Deputy Chairman, three to eight full members, and a member-Secretary.
The Administrative Reform Commission suggested many changes in its composition in 1967 but the Prime Minister continued to be the Chairman of the Commission as before. This is very important for the Commission as the Prime Minister acts as a crucial link and changes with every new government at the Center. Generally a Minister of State also looks after the work of the Commission.
The role of the Planning Commission includes assessment of the material, capital and human resources of the country and possibility of augmenting them and ensuring their optimum utilization. The Commission formulates five-year plans and annual plans based on them and decides the priorities of the planning process.
The Planning Commission is also responsible to ensure proper conditions for successful execution of its plans and to determine the nature of machinery required for implementation at various stages. The. Commission undertakes time-to-time appraisal of the progress and suggests necessary changes. As and when required the Commission should make interim or ancillary recommendations.
According to the Government of India Allocation of Business Rules, the Planning Commission has been assigned the responsibilities of Hill Area Development. Program, Directorate Planning, National Informatics Center (NIC) steps to ensure public cooperation in national development.
Committee on Plan Projects.
Committee on Plan Projects (COPP) was established in 1956 to explore possibilities of achieving economy in projects included in the Second Five Year Plan. It was felt that reduction in the staff strength was not sufficient to achieve economy in the projects.
At every stage of execution of a project standardizing the practices and procedures and adopting new norms and criteria were required to ensure both the economy and efficiency.
Some of the important functions entrusted to the COPP were:
- Organize investigation, including inspection at the site by specially selected teams.
- Evolving appropriate form of organization, standards, methods and techniques for efficient execution.
- Development of suitable machinery for continuous efficiency.
- Implementation of suggestions made in the reports submitted to it.
- Undertake such other tasks as the National Development Council may refer to it.
PROGRAM EVALUATION ORGANIZATION.
Evaluation of a programme is an essential part of a planning process, It should be inbuilt in the formulation and execution of a development plan. Program Evaluation Organization was set-up as an independent organization under the Planning Commission.
In the beginning the evaluation of Community Development Programs and other intensive area development schemes were entrusted to it. In recent years it has been given responsibility of making evaluation studies of many other plans, schemes and programs.
The main functions of the Program Evaluation Organization include:
- Assessment of program results against the targets.
- Measurement of their impact on beneficiaries.
- Impact on the socio-economic structure of the communities.
- Delivery of services to the target groups.
Program Evaluation Organization has been given the responsibilities:
- To give technical advice and guidance to-the State Evaluation Organization.
- Impart training to their personnel.
