Previous Year Question

The National Development Council, Planning Commission and Zonal Councils are all absent from the Constitution. However, their institutional nature and the basis of their establishment were not identical.

The National Development Council was constituted in 1952 through an executive resolution of the Union Government. It served as a forum for consultation and coordination between the Union and the States regarding national plans. It had neither a constitutional nor a statutory basis.

The Planning Commission was established on 15 March 1950 through a Government of India resolution. It was also a non-constitutional and non-statutory executive body. Its principal functions included assessing national resources, formulating Five-Year Plans, determining priorities and reviewing plan implementation. It was replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015.

Zonal Councils are not mentioned in the Constitution, but unlike the National Development Council and the Planning Commission, they are not executive bodies. They were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and are therefore statutory bodies.

Five Zonal Councils exist under the States Reorganisation Act—the Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern Zonal Councils. The Union Home Minister is the common Chairperson of these Councils. The Chief Ministers of the member States serve as Vice-Chairpersons by rotation for one year.

Zonal Councils consider matters relating to economic and social planning, boundary disputes, inter-State transport, linguistic minorities and cooperation among States. Their character is principally advisory.

A Zonal Council should not be confused with the Inter-State Council under Article 263. The Inter-State Council has a constitutional basis under Article 263, whereas Zonal Councils derive their authority from the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.