Question

Which of the following is not a constitutional body?
1. Election Commission
2. Planning Commission
3. National Advisory Council
4. Inter-State Council

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Planning Commission

The correct answer is Planning Commission.

• The Planning Commission was set up by a Resolution of the Government of India in March 1950 in pursuance of declared objectives of the Government to promote a rapid rise in the standard of living of the people by efficient exploitation of the resources of the country, increasing production and offering opportunities to all for employment in the service of the community.
• The Planning Commission was charged with the responsibility of making assessments of all resources of the country, augmenting deficient resources, formulating plans for the most effective and balanced utilization of resources, and determining priorities.
• The Planning Commission consults the Central Ministries and the State Governments while formulating Five Year Plans and Annual Plans and also oversees their implementation.
• The Commission also functions as an advisory body at the apex level.
• The Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Planning Commission, which works under the overall guidance of the National Development Council. 
• Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission.

 

• NITI Aayog ( National Institution for Transforming India) was established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission which followed a top-down model.
• It is a policy think tank of the Government of India, established with the aim to achieve sustainable development goals with cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.