District plan panels likely to have a say in local projects
The new law has empowered the state government to nominate two village ‘pradhans’ as members of the district planning committees (for one year by rotation).
uraghuvanshi@hindustantimes.com
After passage of the Uttar Pradesh District Planning Committee (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the recently concluded winter session of the state legislature, the state government faces the challenge of empowering the district planning committees with a more substantial and meaningful role in the respective districts.
The new law has empowered the state government to nominate two village ‘pradhans’ as members of the district planning committees (for one year by rotation).
As most of the state government’s schemes are formulated for the entire state with least possibility of any amendment at the local level, the district planning committees have ceased to have an effective role in the districts. The state government is now contemplating a move to make the district planning committees more effective.
“Yes, we want to empower the district planning committees. We face the challenge of making them more meaningful,” said principal secretary, planning, Alok Kumar.
“The state government may consider giving these committees the role of recommending local level projects like setting up a mini stadium or making ‘anganwadi kendras’ or other such units more effective in a district,” said those aware of the development.
A senior officer, working as district magistrate in UP, agreed that the utility of district planning committees has come down with the decentralisation of decision-making.
“Now, even village panchayats and other block or district level bodies have been empowered. In schemes like MNREGA, the village panchayats can use limitless funds. The district planning committees can be given subject specific, greater and effective role,” the officer said.
The district planning committees are constituted under the provisions of Article 243 ZD of the Constitution of India (inserted vide 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1993) to prepare district development plan for the whole district, integrating plans of panchayats and the urban local bodies. The Uttar Pradesh District Planning Committee Act 1999 was enacted to set up the district planning committees headed by a minister who was nominated by the state government. The chairperson of respective district panchayats, district magistrate and others nominated by the state government are also part of the committee that has MPs, MLAs and MLCs representing the constituencies in the district as the permanent invitees.
The state planning commission, which was responsible for formulating the state’s annual plan till the end of 12th five-year plan (2017), used to function as the apex body for the district planning committees. The state planning commission’s role became irrelevant after 2017 as the state government decided to set up Uttar Pradesh State Transformation Commission on the pattern of Niti Aayog.
