The word ‘planning’ is not new to you as it is a part of everyday usage. You must have used it with reference to preparation for your examination or visit to a hill station. It involves the process of thinking, formulation of a scheme or programme and implementation of a set of actions to achieve some goal. Though it is a very broad term, here, it has been used with reference to the process of economic development. It is, thus different from the traditional hit-and-miss methods by which reforms and reconstruction are often undertaken. Generally, there are two approaches to planning, i.e., sectoral planning and regional planning.

After the independence of India, who had the responsibility of plan formulation at the Centre, State and district levels?

Planning Commission

On 1 January 2015, the NITI Aayog was formed. India adopted centralised planning after Independence, but subsequently, it graduated into decentralised multi-level planning. The responsibility of plan formulation was with the Planning Comminssion at the Centre, State and district levels. But on 1 January 2015, the Planning Commision was replaced by the NITI Aayog.