Question

Who is the chairman of the Planning Commission?

Answer 1

Hint: The Planning Commission was an institution established by the Government of India to formulate and monitor the implementation of the Five-Year Plans. The Commission was tasked with creating an effective economic development plan based on the material, capital and human resources available, to define the stages based on priority and determine the conditions which need to be established for the successful execution of the plan. It has been responsible for twelve five year plans from 1951. The Commission was dissolved in 2014 by the NDA government and was replaced by the NITI Aayog which functions as the Government of India’s policy think tank.

Complete answer: The Prime Minister of India functioned as the ex-officio Chairman of the Planning Commission. It consisted of important Cabinet ministers who were ex-officio members including the Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, Home Minister, Health Minister, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister, Information Technology Minister, Law Minister, Human Resource Development Minister and Minister of State for Planning. Other than them, it also consisted of full-time members who were experts in various fields like economics, industry, science and general administration. The Prime Minister also functions as the ex-officio Chairman of the NITI Aayog.

Note: The NITI Aayog council consists of chief ministers of all states, Delhi and Puducherry; Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands; a Vice-Chairman nominated by the Prime Minister; and a chief executive officer, four ex-official members, and two part-time members who are all members selected from leading universities and research institutions.