5.14       ndian    onom
              found to be deficient in relation to the        ‘economic reforms’ with the help of the
              nation’s requirements;                          steering committees.
         (ii) Formulate a plan for the most effective              It should be noted here that once
              and balanced utilisation of the country’s       the process of economic reforms was
              resources;                                      initiated in the country (early 1990s)
        (iii) On a determination of priorities, define        there was a diminishing role proposed
              the stages in which the plan should be          for the state in the economy in some
              carried out and propose the allocation of       areas and increased role for the state in
              resources for the due completion of each        some other areas. The re-definition of the
                                                              state’s role in the economy (though it was
              stage;
                                                              the contemporary thinking world wide)
        (iv) Indicate the factors which are tending           made most of the experts and the business
              to retard economic development, and             community to conclude as if there will
              determine the conditions which, in              be no role for planning in the economy.
              view of the current social and political        The New Economic Policy (NEP) of
              situation, should be established for the        1991–92 was a prima-facie proposal for
              successful execution of the plan;               the expansion of the market economy
         (v) Determine the nature of the machinery            in the country. But it was not the case
              which will be necessary for securing the        altogether. Planning has not become
              successful implementation of each stage         irrelevant though it needed to search
              of the plan in all its aspects;                 for a new orientation. And it was highly
        (vi) Appraise from time to time the progress          essential that the process of planning
              achieved in the execution of each stage of      keeps its relevance to the bigger and the
              the Plan and recommend the adjustments          broader process of economic reforms.
              of policy and measures that such appraisal      This particular new function of the PC
              may show to be necessary; and                   must be seen in this light.
       (vii) Make such interim or ancillary              (ii) To monitor the progress of various
                                                              Central Ministries. It should be noted
              recommendations as appear to be
                                                              here that for the first time, the PC
              appropriate either for facilitating the
                                                              went to set the ‘monitorable targets’ for
              discharge of the duties assigned to it;
                                                              10 areas indicating development. The
              or on a consideration of the prevailing
                                                              Central Ministries have been linked to
              economic conditions, current policies,
                                                              these monitorable targets. The timely
              measures and development programmes;
                                                              performances of the Ministries are now
              or on an examination of such specific           monitored by the PC as per its new
              problems as may be referred to it for           function.
              advice by Central or State governments.”
                                                                   With the inclusion of the above-
          With the commencement of the Tenth Plan             mentioned two functions in the existing
     (2002–07), the government handed over two new            functions (which were already very
     functions to the Planning Commission in 2002,            broad), the PC had emerged as a real
     namely:                                                  ‘supercabinet’. Since it was basically the
          (i) To monitor the plan implementation              Deputy-Chairman who officiated the
              with special reference to the process of        general meetings of the Commission, he