Report of the Committee on Restructuring DRDA. - Ministry of Rural ...

Chapter - 7
Streng<strong>the</strong>ning DPCs for Preparation <strong>of</strong> Anti-Poverty Plans
7.1 Article 243-ZD <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Constitution mandates <strong>the</strong> setting up <strong>of</strong> District
Planning <strong>Committee</strong>s (DPCs) to consolidate <strong>the</strong> Plans prepared by Panchayats
and Municipalities and to prepare a draft development plan for <strong>the</strong> district as
a whole in doing which matters <strong>of</strong> common interest including <strong>the</strong> following
require to be considered.
i) Spatial planning
ii) Sharing <strong>of</strong> water and o<strong>the</strong>r physical and natural resources
iii) Integrated development <strong>of</strong> infrastructure
iv) Environmental conservation
7.2 Though <strong>the</strong>re are doubts regarding <strong>the</strong> meaning <strong>of</strong> ‘consolidation’, draft
development plan and whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Plan should be for available resources or
for a perspective, relationship with <strong>the</strong> State Plan etc., DPC remains <strong>the</strong> only
body in <strong>the</strong> country which has a constitutional mandate for planning for
economic development and social justice in a district. It is ano<strong>the</strong>r matter that
DPCs have not yet started playing this critical role.
7.3 The Second Administrative Reforms Commission in its Sixth <strong>Report</strong> on
“Local Governance” has analysed in detail <strong>the</strong> limitations <strong>of</strong> DPCs in <strong>the</strong>ir
present form and has recommended radical restructuring. Though such a
restructuring is absolutely necessary to enable DPCs to discharge <strong>the</strong>ir planning,
functions effectively, it would involve constitutional amendments which would
take time.
42