Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 26: The much-awaited State Planning Board is all set to be in place very shortly as all the modalities in this regard have been worked out and a memorandum is being placed in next Cabinet meeting for approval to the creation of posts for the Board by reorganizing the Planning and Development Department.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the deadline of December 2012 set by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and even conveyed to Planning Commission of India for establishing first ever Jammu and Kashmir State Planning Board is all set to be met with as the Finance Department has given its concurrence to creation of posts for the Board.
A total of 53 posts will be created for the Planning Board by reorganizing the existing Planning and Development Department, sources informed, adding as all the modalities for putting in place State Planning Board on the pattern of Planning Commission of India have been completed the Planning and Development Department is working out a memorandum and the same will be placed before the State Cabinet in its next meeting.
“The manpower would be deployed in the Planning Board by reorganizing different divisions of the Planning and Development Department like Perspective Planning, Multi-Sector Planning, Area Planning, Human Resource Development, Industry and Infrastructure, Agriculture and Rural Development, Monitoring and Project Appraisal and Economics and Statistics”, sources said.
The creation of State Planning Board was given approval by the State Cabinet in the month of April this year after having thorough discussion on its blueprint. Chief Minister would be the Chairman of the Planning Board while as an eminent personality with vast experience of dealing with economic, social, implementation of public policy and administrative and legal issues (to be nominated by the Government) would be Vice-Chairman of the Board.
Finance Minister, Minister for Power, Minister for PWD, Chief Secretary, four eminent personalities, who have distinguished themselves in the spheres of trade, commerce, health, education, development planning and technology (to be nominated by the State Government) would be its Members. The Administrative Secretary of the Planning and Development Department will be Member Secretary of the Planning Board.
The setting up of State Planning Board, which is also one of the recommendations of the State Finance Commission, has been mooted for a long and constructive vision of planning, particularly for providing promotional stimulus to key drivers of the State’s economy, sources said.
The Board will serve as a think-tank and play an effective advisory and recommendatory role for evolving integrated approach to policy formulation in critical areas of human and economic development. It will play a role of mediator and facilitator for devising a framework for allocation of resources for equitable development of different regions across the State.
The State Planning Board would make an assessment of material, capital and human resources of the State and explore the possibility of augmenting resources. Moreover, it would formulate long term, medium term and annual plans for the most effective and balanced utilization of resources, determine priorities and the allocation of resources for the successful implementation of the plan, identify the factors which retard economic development and determine the conditions which should be established for accelerated growth.
It will also have the responsibility of appraising and evaluating the progress achieved in the implementation of plan, programmes and projects and recommend the modification in policy and other corrective measures that may be necessary to achieve the intended objectives. Moreover, the Board will advise the Government on matters of socio-economic development and guide the district authorities, urban local bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions in formulation of development plans in the decentralized framework to synchronize with the overall State plan priorities.
It will also monitor closely the progress of development and welfare schemes by conducting periodic reviews.
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