Members of the Planning Committee
Members of the Planning Committee
Planning Process at the Gram Panchayat Level
The following is information about the committees and processes that provide leadership for planning and implementing development projects at the Gram Panchayat level. As part of Kerala's People's Planning Movement, a strong grassroots-level planning system is in place.
Major Components Related to the Planning Process at the Gram Panchayat Level
1. Development Standing Committee
The Development Standing Committee is primarily responsible for planning development projects at the Gram Panchayat level.
Responsibilities:
It prepares projects in areas such as agriculture, soil conservation, social forestry, small-scale industries, housing, public works, etc., and evaluates their progress.
2. Working Groups / Action Committees
Working Groups (also known as Action Committees) are formed by dividing the development activities into different sectors in order to prepare the annual plans of the Gram Panchayat according to a clear order of priorities.
For example, separate Working Groups may be formed for:
- Agriculture
- Production sector
- Health and sanitation
- Poverty alleviation
- Women and child development
- Other relevant development sectors
Members:
Elected representatives, concerned government officials (such as the Agricultural Officer and Village Extension Officer – VEO), and local experts are included as members of these groups.
3. Gram Sabhas and Project Formulation
The actual planning process begins at the Gram Sabhas.
Gram Sabhas:
Voters from each ward come together to discuss the development needs of their locality and submit their suggestions and proposals.
Development Seminar:
The suggestions received from the Gram Sabhas are consolidated, and the Working Groups prepare projects based on them. These projects are then discussed at the Panchayat-level Development Seminar, following which the annual plan is given its final form.
District Planning Committee (DPC)
The District Planning Committee (DPC) provides administrative approval and final approval for the plans prepared by the Gram Panchayat.
The DPC functions in accordance with Article 243ZD of the Constitution of India.
The committee, with the District Panchayat President as its Chairperson and the District Collector as the Member Secretary, is responsible for allocating funds for the plans of Local Self-Government Institutions and approving amendments to those plans.
Note
At the Central Government level, in order to make decentralized planning more participatory, special Gram Sabhas are convened every year from October to December under the Grama Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) initiative, also referred to as the People's Planning Campaign. The plans prepared through this process are uploaded to the e-GramSwaraj portal.
