What are the roles of PRI in planning?

The unequivocal function constitutionally mandated to Panchayats (as  also to the Urban Local Bodies) is introduction of bottom up planning involing ‘planning for economic development and social justice’. All Panchayats are to  engage in planning processes. Plans of the Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies  in a district are to be consolidated by the District Planning Committees (DPCs).

      If the Constitutional mandate were to be operationalised, minimally, such  bodies should be formed and appropriately resourced. However, as the following  discussion and the information given the in table below show, the progress in  this, at an all India level is far from being comforting. With regard to formation  of DPCs States/UTs could be put under two broad categories, i.e. (1) formed,  and (2) not formed. The former could then be sub-divided into two; (a) where the  ZP President is designated as the Chairperson of the DPC, and (b) where some  other arrangement has been made.