Lok Sabha Question No. 2533 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Meetings of National Development Council
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2533 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## MEETINGS OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

## †2533. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) the objective of National Development Council (NDC);
- (b) the  total  number  of  meetings  of  NDC  held  as  well  as  the  progress  made  in implementing the decisions taken thereon, so far;
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  maintain  the  relevance  of  NDC  after  the constitution of Niti Aayog; and
- (d) the reasons for which no independent monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the objectives of the NDC are met?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) to (d): The National Development Council (NDC) was set up in 1952 under the aegis of the erstwhile  Planning  Commission,  to  prescribe  guidelines  for  the  formulation  of  the  National Plan,  including  the  assessment  of  resources  for  the  Plan;  to  consider  the  National  Plan  as formulated  by  the  Planning  Commission;  to  consider  important  questions  of  social  and economic policy affecting national development; and to review the working of the Plan from time to time and recommend such measures as are necessary for achieving the aims and targets set out in the National Plan.  NDC was presided over by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and  comprised  of  Union  Ministers,  Chief  Ministers  of  all  the  States  and Administrators  of Union Territories and Members of the erstwhile Planning Commission.

NITI Aayog was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on 1 st January 2015 replacing the  erstwhile  Planning  Commission  as  the  premier  policy  think  tank  of  the  Government  of India,  to  provide  relevant  strategic,  directional  policy  inputs,  and  technical  advice  to  the Centre,  States,  and  Union  Territories  and  bringing  States  together  towards  fulfilment  of  the

national development agenda.  NITI Aayog has its own Governing Council, which was set up on 16 th February 2015 via a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat and was reconstituted on 19 th February 2021. The  Governing  Council,  chaired  by  the  Hon'ble Prime Minister of  India, includes Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories with legislature, Lt Governors of other Union  Territories,  Vice  Chairman  and  Members  of  NITI  Aayog,  and  Special  Invitees.    The Governing  Council  has  been  tasked  with  evolving  a  shared  vision  of  national  priorities  and shaping the national development narrative.

Till  now,  9  meetings  of  the  Governing Council  have been held under the  chairmanship of the Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  and  the  last  meeting  was  held  on  27 th July,  2024. Adequate  monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure that the objectives of the Governing Council are duly met.

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