State governments look ahead to determine needs for transportation, welfare, education and other fields. Governmental planning pertains to a deliberate, organized process of governmental policy making and operations. Both officials and concerned individuals and groups need to share in such planning if it is to be an effective method for community improvement. Planning consists of a systematic, continuous, forward-looking approach to meet the community's needs. It includes finding ways to fit a community's many activities and facilities into a workable, well-rounded whole.
Sound planning helps the community find workable solutions to real problems.
It encourages decisions based on priorities and efficient execution of those decisions. As considered here, planning involves a local government process to help improve the quality of decision making in a community. The purpose, of course, is to make the community a better place to live. Planning assists both private and government decision makers from heads of families to administrative officials. It helps them identify community problems and suggest possible solutions.