BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to revive the defunct Planning Board in the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday constituted a committee to suggest ways for changing the planning process.
The committee to be headed by advisor of the Planning Board RN Das will suggest ways to make more people oriented plans. The planning process in both State and district levels will be reoriented on the basis of the recommendations of the committee. Development Commissioner UN Behera and Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) R Balakrishnan are other members of the committee.
The committee has also been asked to suggest ways to decentralise the planning process by identifying schemes to be implemented at the district level. The committee will submit report in the first week of August.
Interestingly, the Board has met only thrice in the last 15 years. It has not met since October 15, 2007. Formulation of policy guidelines for short term and long term Annual Plan and Five Year Plan is part of the activities of the State Planning Board. While the Chief Minister is the chairman of the Planning Board, N Bhaskar Rao is the Deputy Chairman.