The Planning Commission created the Commission to examine India’s Existing Operational Mechanisms for Rural Growth and Poverty Reduction Programs in 1985, which itself was chaired by G.V.K. Rao. The Commission concluded that now the project development had become increasingly bureaucratized & decoupled from the Panchayati Raj.
The G.V.K. Rao Committee envisioned its district as that of the epicenter of democracy administration. The group also suggested that a District Development Commissioner be appointed, who could serve as the Zilla Parishad’s CEO. All agencies at the district level should be under the control of the District Assemblies Commissioners. This differed from earlier committees’ recommendations, which suggested the lower bodies as nothing more than a foundation and gave the Panchayats as well as Mandal Panchayats the lead role in development.