The National Development Council (NDC) is designed to bring about effective plan coordination between the Central and State Governments. Its membership consists of the P.M. as chairman, all Union cabinet ministers, C.Ms of all the states and representatives of the union territories.

The C.M., being a member of the NDC, participates in its deliberations. Generally, the NDC meets once a year to discuss the plan objectives for the overall development of the country in general and of their states in particular. The NDC meetings provide a C.M. with an opportunity to plead the state’s case for more grants and increased Central assistance.

The Planning Commission’s primary task is the formulation of the five-year plans for the country. The role of the C.M. of a state vis-a-vis the Planning Commission centres on the imperative that the state given-year plans and annual plans have to be approved by the Planning Commission.

As is known, the Planning Commission lays down the priorities for the country’s five-year plans, keeping in view the resource position and developmental needs of the nation. All state plans – long-term or short-term – have to be prepared within the framework of the priorities determined by the Planning Commission.

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After the draft of a plan is formulated, it is submitted to the Planning Commission for discussion and approval. Before he meets the Planning Commission for discussion on the state plans, the C.M. prepares an appropriate strategy for the discussions with the help of the Chief Secretary, the Planning Secretary and other secretaries. Several rounds of meetings take place between the C.M., the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, members of the Planning Commission and the senior officers of the state. State plans are discussed in detail and the C.M. gives the justification for his demands for various schemes or sectors.

Thus, he plays a crucial role in obtaining funds for the state’s socio-economic development. The C.M. also maintains continuous liaison with the Planning Commission in the matter of implementation of the national level economic programmes, such as the Twenty-Point Programme.