District planning committees in India

District Planning Committee (DPC) is the committee created as per article 243ZD of the Constitution of India at the district level[1] 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.

Functions of DPC

The Constitution of India provides the DPCs two specific responsibilities. In preparing the draft development plan, the DPC shall have regard to matters of common interest between the Panchayats and the Municipalities including spatial planning, sharing of water and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation and the extent and type of available resources, both financial or otherwise. The DPC in this endeavor, is also mandated to consult such institutions and organizations as may be specified. In order that the plans at different levels are prepared, there is need to strengthen the system comprising the machinery of planning and the process of consolidation of plans at the district level.

There is confusion in states as to whether the DPC is to be established as a separate and permanent office or whether it denotes only a meeting that is periodically called and which can be serviced by a part-time secretariat. There is a feeling that the DPC ought not to emerge as yet another layer of bureaucracy to vet people’s plans. At the same time, the fact that the DPC is held intermittently and without permanent support undermines its effectiveness as a constitutional institution and a coordinating mentor. On balance, the DPC merits the status of a permanent institution, with adequate Secretariat to service it at the District level. It could also be provided the means of drawing experts to assist it whenever required.

Status of DPCs in the States

All States and Union Territories except Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, J&K and NCT of Delhi are required to set up District Planning Committees in accordance with Article 243ZD of the Constitution of India. But the status,[2] as of financial year 2007-08 is as follows:-

Table : Status of District Planning Committees in the States

Sl No States/Union Territories Status of constitution of DPCs
1 Andhra Pradesh Not yet constituted.
2 Arunachal Pradesh Not yet constituted.
3 Assam Not yet constituted.
4 Bihar Constituted in all 38 districts. Chairman ZP is the Chairman of DPCs.
5 Chhattisgarh Constituted. Minister is Chairpersons of DPC
6 Goa Constituted. President of ZP is the Chairperson ofDPC
7 Gujarat Not yet constituted.
8 Haryana Constituted in all 19 Districts.
9 Himachal Pradesh Constituted in 12 districts. Minister is Chairperson of DPC.
10 Karnataka Yes. In all Districts. President, ZP is Chairman of DPC.
11 Jharkhand Panchayat Elections yet to be held.
12 Kerala Yes, Chairman of District Panchayat (DP) is Chairman of DPC.
13 Madhya Pradesh Yes. District in-charge Ministers are Chairpersons.
14 Maharashtra Guardian Minister for the District (Ex-Officio Chairperson)
15 Manipur Yes in 4 districts. Adhyaksha, DP is Chairperson
16 Orrissa 26 Districts. MLA is Chairperson of DPC.
17 Punjab Not yet constituted.
18 Rajasthan Yes. Chairman of DP is Chairman of DPC
19 Sikkim Yes.
20 Tamil Nadu Yes. Chairperson, DP is Chairperson
21 Tripura Not yet constituted.
22 Uttar Pradesh Yes.Minister is Chairperson of DPC.
23 Uttaranchal DPCs are not notified or constituted, even though legal provision exists.
24 West Bengal Yes. Chairperson, DP is Chairperson of DPC.
25 Andaman Nicobar Yes. Chairperson of DP is Chairman of DPC
26 Chandigarh Not yet constituted.
27 D & N Haveli Yes. Chairman, DP is Chairman of DPC
28 Daman Dieu Yes. Chairman, DP is Chairman of DPC
29 Lakhshadeep Yes. Collector cum Dev. Commissioner isChairperson.
30 Pondicherry Panchayat Elections yet to be held.

It is clear that the steps taken to operationalise the provisions of Article 243 ZD of the Constitution of India by the States have been far from satisfactory. Despite shortcomings. DPC should becomes the fulcrum of the planning effort in the district, and should have the capacity to undertake the tasks expected of it.

An analysis of DPCS

An analysis of the functioning of DPCs and the formulation and implementation of ‘district plans’ in 14 States [3] reveals the following:-

Establishment of DPCs:Efforts

The first step is to ensure that DPCs are set up in all States in accordance with Article 243 ZD of the Constitution. In spite of the resolutions of the Second Round Table to set up DPCs as mandated by the Constitution and efforts by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to persuade all States, some States are still dragging their feet in this regard. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj addressed all Secretaries of Panchayati Raj in States on 30 May 2005 requesting them to constitute DPCs in their respective States if the same had not been constituted. Their attention was also drawn to the meeting of the Committee of Chief Secretaries and Secretaries of Panchayati Raj in the States/Union Territories held on 11 April 2005 wherein the Ministry of Panchayati Raj had communicated that the States that had not constituted DPCs in accordance with Article 243ZD of the Constitution should do so before 31 October 2005. However, this was not achieved. The steps taken by this Expert Group and the circular issued by the Planning Commission to all States regarding formulation of the Annual plans of States has already been referred to in Chapter 2. While the circular marked an important step forward and would give an impetus to the endeavor to establish and strengthen District Planning Committees, detailed instructions were issued to all States and Central Ministries prior to Eleventh plan discussions on the following points:

Support to DPCs

The need to provide professional support to the DPC cannot be overstated. Though several States have provided staff from the State level on deputation to District Panchayats for the purpose of undertaking planning, such Staff are overburdened and ill equipped. There is a need to create, preferably within the District Panchayat, a separate cell to service the District Planning Committee. The Cell could have five separate and distinct sections, namely, dealing with Municipal Plans, District Panchayat Plans, Intermediate Panchayat Plans, Village Panchayat Plans and one for maintenance of data and undertake research, with the necessary support in terms of IT and qualified research assistants.

Enabling DPC functioning

The aim of drawing experts is to assist the local governments concerned (Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies) in both forming a vision and designing strategies to attain that vision. Advice of the experts would be based on experience, expertise and the field position, as revealed from ground data. Special efforts ought to be made by States to ensure that the best talent and the most motivated are invited to participate as experts. The following points are recommended by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, to guide the drawing of experts to support the DPC:

The DPC could also constitute a few sectoral sub-committees for both the envisioning and the consolidation processes. The task of sectoral Sub Committees is to go into the details of each development sector assigned, such as proper quantification and description of service available in the sector, whether these meet the norms prescribed, the gaps that need to be filled and track data availability, in consultation with local Bodies, public and private organizations before finalizing the vision of that Sector. Once the Sectoral Vision document is prepared, it shall be submitted to the DPC. Sectoral sub-committees could also give suggestions for innovative plans and integrated projects, which local governments may accept if they so desire.

One of the primary tasks of the DPC would be to build capacity for decentralized planning in the district. A major impediment to proper planning is the lack of personnel providing planning support and availability of good and comprehensible information at the Intermediate and Gram Panchayat levels. Provision of support for planning at the Intermediate Panchayat level: Each Intermediate Panchayat should be provided a planning and data unit, which could also be integrated into the larger concept of having a Resource Centre at each Intermediate Panchayat level, to provide a basket of pooled services, such as for engineering, agriculture, watershed development, women and child care, public health etc., which Gram Panchayats can draw upon for support in planning and implementation.

See also

References

  1. See 74th Constitutional Amendment Act - Article 243 ZD - for provisions on creation of DPCs
  2. The State of Panchayats : 2007-08 , An independent assessment, Volume I Thematic report, Chapter 3a, pp. 117-134 Gov't of India, April 2008
  3. Planning at the grassroots level : An action programme for the eleventh five-year plan by Govt of India, p. 34

External links

  1. 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1994, Government of India
  2. Planning at the grassroots level:An action programme for the eleventh five-year plan, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
  3. Sixth Report of the Second Administrative Committee P84
  4. The State of Panchayats : 2007-08 , An independent assessment, Volume I Thematic report, Chapter 3a, P117-134 Govt of India, April 2008
  5. Status and Functioning of District Planning Committees in India by PRIA, 2007
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