Q13
2 marksShort AnswerSection B

Highlight any two objectives of establishing Planning Commission.

Politics of Planned Development
Objectives of the Planning Commission
Official Answer

Two objectives of the Planning Commission:


  • To assess the country's material, capital and human resources and prepare Five Year Plans for their most effective and balanced utilisation.
  • To promote rapid and balanced economic growth, raise the standard of living, and generate employment opportunities through planned allocation of resources across sectors and regions.
Planning CommissionFive Year Plansresource utilisationbalanced growthstandard of livingemployment generationmixed economy

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark each for any two correctly stated objectives (e.g., resource assessment and utilisation; balanced regional development; raising standard of living; employment generation) — any two accepted.

Hint

Think in terms of resource assessment/utilisation and raising the standard of living through planned growth.

Quick Oral Answer

The Planning Commission was established in 1950 to assess India's resources and prepare Five Year Plans for their balanced use, aiming at rapid economic growth and improved standard of living.

Analysis & Explanation

The Planning Commission was set up in 1950 to give the government a formal instrument for economic planning under a mixed-economy model.


Concept

  • It was a non-constitutional, advisory body, chaired by the Prime Minister, tasked with formulating Five Year Plans.

Key objectives

  • Efficient and balanced utilisation of the country's resources.
  • Removal of regional imbalances and equitable distribution of income and wealth.
  • Raising the standard of living through increased production and employment generation.

Exam tip

  • 'Highlight any two' means the answer must be crisp — do not write a full essay on planning; a two-line objective statement per point is sufficient for 2 marks.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Writing about the structure/composition of the Planning Commission instead of its objectives.
  2. 2Giving only one objective in detail instead of two distinct objectives as asked.

Interesting Facts

The Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a Cabinet resolution (not by the Constitution), with the Prime Minister as its ex-officio Chairman.

It was replaced by the NITI Aayog in January 2015, marking a shift from centralised five-year planning to a more consultative, market-friendly policy model.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Planning Commission established and by whom?

The Planning Commission was established in March 1950 through a Cabinet resolution of the Government of India, with the Prime Minister as its Chairman.

What replaced the Planning Commission?

The Planning Commission was replaced by the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in January 2015.