The National Development Council (NDC) or Rashtriya Vikas Parishad is the highest institution for decision-making and deliberations on development matters within India, presided over by the Prime Minister. The National Development Council was set up on 6 August 1952 to build up and mobilize the effort and the nation’s resources to support the Five Year Plans made by the Planning Commission. The Council consists of the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of every State or their substitutes, representatives of the Union Territories, along with members of the NITI Aayog. 

Role of National Development Council 

The National Development Council plays a vital role in decision-making. Accordingly, the following roles are assigned to the National Development Council:

  1. The National Development Council sets guidelines for constructing national plans involving the assessment of required resources. 
  1. The National Development Council considers the national plan constructed by the planning commission. 
  1. The National Development Council considers significant questions of social as well as economic policy affecting national development. 
  1. The National Development Council makes sure that balanced and rapid growth occurs in the nation. 
  1. The national development Council creates an assessment of resources that are required to implement the plan and suggests measures to utilize them properly. 
  1. The National Development Council reviews the functioning of the plan timely and recommends measures that are vital to achieving the objectives and targets set in the national plan. 

Structure of the National Development Council 

The national development Council is composed of given members below :

  1. Prime minister of India
  1. Chief Ministers of every state
  1. Administrators of all Union Territories 
  1. All cabinet ministers 
  1. Members of the planning commission 

The 56th Meeting of the National Development Council

The 56th meeting of the national development Council was organized on 22 October 2011. The 56th meeting was presided over by Dr Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India. The meeting raised six main issues, which were :

  1. Determining the state-level five-year plans for the Twelfth Plan period early as well as setting targets for growth along with other social indicators.
  1. Allocation of resources for the plan.
  1. Agriculture requires more attention along with priority at state government levels.
  1. Managing energy resources is a massive challenge because rapid growth needs expansion in domestic energy supplies and a greater emphasis on energy efficiency.
  1. Management of water resources. Water shortage is the main issue that needs to be sorted out.
  1. Improvement of implementation of plan schemes on the ground.

Conclusion 

The national development Council is considered the highest authority for development decisions. The National Development Council was formed in 1952. The primary motive behind establishing the National development Council was to assist in assessing resources for five-year plans. 

In addition, the National Development Council has specific roles such as reviewing the functioning of the plan timely and recommending measures to ensure that the country achieves rapid and balanced growth, setting guidelines for the construction of the five-year plans, and reviewing national plans prepared by the planning commission. The National Development Council consists of the Prime Minister of India, Chief ministers of all states, all cabinet members, administrators of all union territories as well as members of the planning commission.