Isabella Carter
The Constitution is a foundational document that outlines the powers and responsibilities of a nation's government and often establishes the core principles, rights, and guidelines by which a country is governed. It is important to understand which offices are constitutional as they are integral to the functioning of the government and are often key to the country's decision-making processes. For example, in the United States, the President is a constitutional office, and in India, the Union Public Service Commission is a constitutional body. However, not all government bodies are mentioned in the Constitution, and it is important to identify which ones are not, as their powers and legitimacy may be derived from other sources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bodies not mentioned in the Indian Constitution | National Development Council, Planning Commission, Zonal Councils, National Commission for Women |
| Bodies mentioned in the Indian Constitution | Election Commission of India, Finance Commission, Official Languages Commission of India, State Election Commission, Rajasthan, Panchayat System |
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What You'll Learn
National Development Council
I am assuming that you would like me to write about the National Development Council of India.
The National Development Council (NDC) of India, also known as Rashtriya Vikas Parishad, is the highest body for decision-making and deliberation on development matters in the country. It was established on the 6th of August 1952 to strengthen and mobilise the nation's efforts and resources in support of the Five-Year Plans made by the Planning Commission. The NDC aims to promote common economic policies across all vital sectors and ensure the rapid and balanced development of all regions in India.
Composition
The NDC is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and includes all Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States or their substitutes, Chief Ministers or Chief Executives of the Union Territories, and members of the NITI Aayog (formerly the Planning Commission). Ministers of State with independent charge are also invited to participate in the council's deliberations. The Planning Commission provides administrative assistance, and the Secretary of the Planning Commission also serves as the Secretary of the NDC.
Functions and Objectives
The primary functions of the NDC include:
- Prescribing guidelines for formulating the National Plan and assessing the required resources for its implementation.
- Considering important questions of social and economic policy that impact national development.
- Reviewing the progress of the National Plan and recommending measures to achieve its aims and targets.
The major objectives of the NDC are:
- To strengthen and mobilise national efforts and resources in support of the Five-Year Plans.
- To promote common economic policies across all vital sectors.
- To ensure rapid and balanced development across all regions of India, including the development of rural and urban infrastructure, health services, education, and skill development.
Recent Developments and Criticism
The NDC has faced criticism for its lack of effectiveness in recent years. The Sarkaria Commission recommended that the NDC should be renamed and reconstituted as the 'National Economic and Development Council' (NEDC) to make it the supreme institution for centre-state planning relations. Since the establishment of the NITI Aayog's Governing Council, which shares similar composition and roles, the NDC has had no specific tasks assigned to it and there have been proposals to abolish it.
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Planning Commission
The Planning Commission was an institution within the Government of India that was responsible for formulating India's Five-Year Plans, among other functions. The Commission was established by a resolution of the Government of India in March 1950 and was headed by Pandit Nehru, who was its first Chairman. The Commission consisted of ex officio members, including the Prime Minister as the Chairperson, 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.
The Planning Commission was not a constitutional body, meaning it was not created by the Constitution or an act of Parliament. Instead, it was an advisory body, providing recommendations to the Central and State governments on economic planning and policy adjustments. The Commission's functions, as outlined by the Government's 1950 resolution, included assessing India's material, capital, and human resources, investigating possibilities for augmentation, and appraising the progress achieved in executing each stage of the plan.
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intention to dissolve the Planning Commission during his first Independence Day speech. The Commission was subsequently replaced by a new institution called NITI Aayog, which acts as a 'Think Tank' for the Government of India, providing directional, policy, and technical inputs. The NITI Aayog is headed by a CEO, currently BVR Subrahmanyam, and has a different composition from its predecessor, the Planning Commission.
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Zonal Councils
The idea of creating Zonal Councils was first proposed by India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, in 1956. During a debate on the report of the States Re-organisation Commission, Nehru suggested that the reorganised states be grouped into four or five zones, each with an advisory council. The purpose was "to develop the habit of cooperative working" among the states and to foster a healthy inter-state and Centre-State environment, thereby minimising linguistic hostilities and bitterness that threatened national unity.
Each Zonal Council is chaired by the Union Home Minister, while the Chief Ministers of the states included in each zone act as Vice-Chairmen by rotation, serving for one year at a time. The councils provide a forum for resolving irritants between the Centre and the states and among the states themselves through open discussions and consultations. They also promote balanced socioeconomic development within their respective zones.
To facilitate the resolution of issues and prepare for Zonal Council meetings, each Zonal Council has established a Standing Committee comprising the Chief Secretaries of the member states. Senior officers from the Planning Commission and other central ministries may also attend these meetings as needed. Additionally, one person from the Planning Commission and another officer or Development Commissioner are nominated by each state included in the zone to serve as advisers. Union Ministers are invited to participate in Zonal Council meetings as necessary.
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Finance Commission
The Finance Commission of India (FCI) is a constitutional body that was established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution by the Indian President in 1951. It is a cornerstone of the country's fiscal federalism, aiming to ensure equitable growth across the country. The Finance Commission is constituted every five years and consists of a chairman and four other members appointed by the President. The chairman should have experience in public affairs, while the other members are selected from among judges of the High Court or those qualified to be appointed as such. The members of the Finance Commission are eligible for reappointment.
The role of the Finance Commission is to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments. It makes recommendations to the President on the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States, as well as the allocation of these proceeds among the States themselves. The Finance Commission also deals with the devolution of unplanned revenue resources.
The Finance Commission serves as an institutional framework to facilitate Centre-State transfers. It bridges the vertical financial imbalances between the Centre and the States by allocating sufficient resources to promote the fiscal autonomy and efficiency of the States. It also bridges inequality among the States by providing more resources to the backward States.
The Fifteenth Finance Commission, constituted in November 2017, was chaired by Nand Kishore Singh, with Shaktikanta Das and Anoop Singh as full-time members, and Ramesh Chand and Ashok Lahiri as part-time members. The Sixteenth Finance Commission, chaired by Dr Arvind Panagariya, was constituted on 31 December 2023.
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State Election Commission, Rajasthan
The State Election Commission of Rajasthan is responsible for conducting elections in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The commission has the power to organise and supervise elections to the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha (the state's legislative assembly), as well as local body elections such as those for municipalities.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Rajasthan is the head of the State Election Commission. The current Chief Electoral Officer is Shri M.M. Tiwari, who holds the position of Joint Chief Electoral Officer (IT). The commission's website provides citizens with information about elections and voter registration. It also offers a Voter Mitra chatbot that answers citizens' queries related to elections and voter registration. This chatbot also provides information about political parties, candidates, BLOs, and polling stations, and assists with the procedure for lodging election-related complaints.
The State Election Commission of Rajasthan can be contacted via email at secraj@rajasthan.gov.in, and via telephone on the following numbers: 0141-2227407 and 2227037.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Development Council, Planning Commission, and Zonal Councils are not mentioned in the Constitution of India.
The NDC is a platform for cooperative federalism, bringing together the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all states and union territories, and other senior officials to discuss and coordinate national development priorities.
Zonal Councils are high-level advisory forums suggested by the first PM Nehru in 1956 to minimize the impact of linguistic hostilities and create a healthy inter-state and Centre-state environment. There are five zonal councils: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern.
The UPSC is a constitutional body authorized to conduct various exams, including the Civil Services Exam. The current chairman is Dr. Manoj Soni.
