Which of the following is/are true regarding the composition of Planning Commission?

1) Planning Commission has no state representation.

2) Planning Commission is non-statutory and non-constitutional body.

a. Only 1

b. Only 2

c. Both 1 and 2

d. None of the above

Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

Planning Commission -

Advisory Planning Board constituted in 1946, under the chairmanship of K. C. Neogi recommended establishing Planning Commission.

It was established in March 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India.

It is non-statutory and non-constitutional body.

Supreme organ of planning for social and economic development in India is Planning Commission.

The critics have called it as a ‘Super Cabinet’, a ‘Parallel Cabinet’, the ‘Fifth Wheel of the Coach’, an ‘Economic Cabinet’ etc.

Composition -

(a) Prime minister of India (Chairman of the commission) - He presides over the meetings of the commission.

(b) Deputy chairman (de facto executive head (i.e., full-time functional head)) -

(i) responsible for the formulation and submission of the draft Five-Year Plan to the Union Cabinet;

(ii) appointed by the Central cabinet for a fixed tenure;

(iii) enjoys the rank of a Cabinet Minister;

(iv) not a member of cabinet but is invited to attend all its meeting (without a right to vote);

(c) Some Central Ministers -

(i) appointed as part-time members;

(ii) finance minister and planning minister are the ex-officio members.

(d) 4 to 7 full-time expert members enjoying rank of a minister of state.

(e) A member-secretary senior member of IAS.

It is completely a centre-constituted body with no state representation.