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fact, an in-house meeting of the State
Planning Board may be organized for
the kind of role performed by the State
Planning Board vis-a vis those of the
Planning Commission before any reforms
in this area is contemplated.
7. The plurality in the understanding of
the planning process of District plan is
an area where State Planning Board
could take a meeting of its own, fi rm-up
its common understanding and then
sensitize the others.
The planning formulated from Gram
Samsad at the rural area & booth committees
of Nagar Palikas at urban situation
should ensure the resource mapping by
participatory neighbourhood survey as
stated before. This should be transmitted
to Block Planning Committees who will
refer it to D.P.C. The State Planning
Board being involved at every step would
be able to prepare an optimum planning
for the State which will be presented to
the Planning Commission at the Centre.
This proposal if accepted will legitimise
the existence of Planning Commission and
also the State Planning Boards.
Conclusion
India, like all developing countries, is in a
cross-road for its developmental process.
Planned development instituted by Socialist
Russia had initial success particularly
benefi ting the erstwhile marginalised
people. Subsequently this failed to deliver
ultimate solution for human emancipation.
The reasons of this failure have not
yet been properly analysed.
Imperialism in the pretext of globalisation,
Neo Liberalisation and imposition of
market economy is bound to impose further
misery over the poor countries. The
poor people in every country, even in the
developed ones, will also be severely af-
fected. A rational solution may be found
through a synthesis of both the systems
e.g. planned and market economy. This
will facilitate the proper function of the
planning institution. The developed countries
should abandon their aggressive
greed for profi t through commercialisation
of basic human services like health,
education & adequate amenities of life. In
ancient period countries who achieved
acme of glory learnt that material benefi t
alone fails to provide peace and perfection
to the human beings. They taught
people to sacrifi ce so that ultimate emancipation
is achieved.
The planning procedure in India should
welcome the phenomenal advancement
of techno science but it should also pay
equal importance on the social aspect of
science. The planners at all levels should
understand that complete eco-friendly
development is impossible but the best
planning should attempt to minimise the
onslaught on Nature.
A synthesis between the knowledge of
the experts and wisdom of a wise common
man should provide the solution.
Endnotes
1 Personal communication from Prof.
Nipen Bandyopadhyay (Former Researcher,
Shantiniketan), Member, State
Planning Board, Govt. of West Bengal
2 http://www.idianetzone.com/45/plan-
ning_commission_india.htm
3 Planning Commission (India), Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia.
4 Ashok Mehta Committee - Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia.
5 Formation of State Planning Board,
West Bengal – The Calcutta Gazette
Extraordinary dt. 13th May 1972.
6 wbplan.gov.in/docs/AnnualRe-
port200809/Planning%20Sector.pdf
T RANSFORMATIVE PLANNING
7 Planning from below by the villagers
themselves in Bengali Language:
Published by Panchayat and Rural
Development Department, Governemt
of India.
References and
Additional Thinking
• ‘Studies in Bengal Renaissance’, published
by National Council of Education,
Bengal, Kolkata – 32, 3rd Edition,
March 2002.
• State Planning Board, West Bengal
(1972-75) Published by State Planning
Board, 6, Camac Street, Kolkata.
• ‘Being Indian’ by Pravin Kumar.World
Bank Report on Health (1992).
• ‘Promised but not Implemented (Treatise
of Health Policy)’ by Dr. Gouri
Pada Dutta. Published by Asok Kumar
Pal, 53, Creek Row, Kolkata–700014;
April 2003.
• ‘People & Power’ (Devolution of power
to people through Panchayat in West
Bengal) by Dr. Gouri Pada Dutta. Published
by West Bengal Voluntary
Health Association, 19A, Dr. Sundari
Mohan Avenue, Kolkata – 700014;
Web:- www.wbvha.org
• ‘Social Issues of Health’ by Dr. Gouri
Pada Dutta. Published by Suresh
Bhadra, Pratyaya, 24/1B, Creek Row,
Kolkata – 700014; April
• Jiboner Aaina (in Bengali) (i.e. Through
the Mirror of Life) (collection of essays)
by Dr. Gouri Pada Dutta. Published by
Kanika Chakraborty, Effect Publication,
DC – 116, Narayantala (West)
Desh Bandhu Nagar, VIP Road,
Kolkata – 700059; 2009 AD
(The views expressed in the write-up are
personal and do not reflect the offi cial
policy or position of the organization.)
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