Internal Planning Commission (IPC)/Full Planning Commission (FPC) Meetings

The Full Planning Commission (FPC) meetings were the formal and highest-level sessions of the Planning Commission. These meetings served as the apex forum for policy discussion and finalisation of plan documents before submission to the Union Cabinet and National Development Council (NDC).

Objectives:

• To review and approve the draft plan prepared by the internal committees.
• To deliberate on national development priorities, resource allocation, and inter-sectoral balance.
• To integrate sectoral and state-level inputs into the national plan.
• To evaluate implementation progress and suggest mid-course corrections in ongoing plans.
• To finalise recommendations for consideration by the NDC and the Union Cabinet.

Composition:

• Prime Minister of India – Chairperson.
• Deputy Chairperson – Vice-Chair.
• Union Ministers for Finance, Agriculture, Industry, Energy, Transport, and other key departments.
• Members of the Planning Commission.
• Chief Ministers and Planning Ministers of States (when invited) for consultation on plan formulation.
• Senior officials and subject experts as special invitees.

Frequency:

FPC meetings were convened during:

• The preparation phase of a Five-Year Plan (to discuss the Draft Approach Paper and Draft Plan).
• The mid-term appraisal stage (to review progress and make adjustments).
• The terminal stage (to evaluate plan performance and lessons for the next plan).

Process of Plan Formulation through IPC and FPC

The planning process under the Commission followed a systematic sequence involving multiple levels of consultation and review.

Step 1: Sectoral and State Inputs

• Line ministries, state governments, and public enterprises submitted proposals for plan priorities and funding requirements.
• The Planning Commission divisions analysed these submissions and developed sectoral frameworks.

Step 2: Internal Planning Commission (IPC) Deliberations

• IPC meetings consolidated all technical and analytical inputs.
• Preliminary targets, priorities, and resource estimates were determined.

Step 3: Full Planning Commission (FPC) Approval

• The FPC reviewed the draft plan, debated policy alternatives, and finalised the Draft Five-Year Plan Document.

Step 4: Submission to National Development Council (NDC)

• The Draft Plan was presented to the NDC, comprising the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, and Chief Ministers of States, for final approval.

This consultative mechanism ensured that the plan reflected both national and regional priorities within the constraints of available resources.

Significance of IPC and FPC Meetings

1. Policy Coordination:
   • Fostered coherence among ministries and departments in resource allocation and project planning.
2. Institutional Integration:
   • Linked technical analysis with political decision-making at the highest level.
3. Democratic Consultation:
   • Allowed inputs from diverse stakeholders, including states and public enterprises.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation:
   • Provided a mechanism for periodic review of plan implementation and performance assessment.
5. Strategic Decision-Making:
   • Helped the government prioritise sectors like agriculture, industry, health, and education in line with national goals.

Transition to NITI Aayog

With the dissolution of the Planning Commission in 2014 and the establishment of NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in January 2015, the IPC/FPC model was discontinued.
The NITI Aayog replaced the centralised planning structure with a bottom-up, cooperative federalism approach, emphasising policy formulation, coordination, and outcome monitoring rather than rigid plan approval.
In the new framework:

• Governing Council Meetings of NITI Aayog, chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by Chief Ministers, serve as the modern equivalent of FPC/NDC consultations.
• Internal working groups and committees within NITI Aayog now perform roles similar to the earlier IPC sessions.

Legacy and Importance

The IPC and FPC meetings were instrumental in shaping India’s early development planning architecture and ensuring coherence in national policy during the Five-Year Plan era. They contributed significantly to:

• Institutionalising economic planning and public investment management.
• Strengthening the link between centre and states in resource allocation.
• Providing a forum for expert deliberation on socio-economic challenges.