: Rewind: Planning Commission and NITI Aayog, a Tale of Two Institutions #IndiaNEWS #News By B Yerram Raju It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the

Rewind: Planning Commission and NITI Aayog, a Tale of Two Institutions #IndiaNEWS #News
By B Yerram Raju
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way— in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Charles Dickens in his epoch-making novel, A Tale of Two Cities written in 1859 aptly describes the day India had independence, 75 years ago. When I wanted to narrate the tale of two institutions that shaped India, viz, the Planning Commission that had 65 years of existence, and the NITI Aayog that is just in its eighth year, the title seems apt.
Arun Jaitley, former Finance Minister had said: “The 65-year old Planning Commission had become a redundant organisation. It was relevant in a command economy structure, but not any longer. India is a diverse country and its States are in various phases of economic development, along with their own strengths and weaknesses. In this context, ‘one size fits all’ approach to economic planning is obsolete. It cannot make India competitive in a global economy. �?
There is a tacit acceptance of its relevance at the times it served the nation. The objective of this article is not to compare the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog but to place before the readers the relevance of the former as it evolved over the years, for it was not contested and second, whether the new institution has been able to truly live up to its objectives. Also because of the period of their existence, it would be imprudent to compare them. We should have the best of both worlds. Preparedness is crucial for ushering in such best.
The Planning Commission was the architect of 12 Five Year Plans and each plan had a clear agenda. The way it evolved is certainly a story that cannot be wished away. These Plans gave impetus to certain policy interventions and even birth to new institutions.
Historical Setting
Three years past August 15, 1947, the Indian economy was on the threshold of rebuilding out of the chaos we inherited from the colonial British. The shadow of the Second World War still loomed large with food shortages, famine in Bengal and politically fragmented India. The three arms of the Constitution — Executive, Legislature and Judiciary — were in a state of evolution.

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