The plan has to go through various stages in order to reach its final form. About two to three years before the implementation of the plan, the discussions on the targets and programmes of the plan are started. The Planning Commission collects the data of national product, national consumption, availability of resources, national investment and saving for the future plan, and it prepares micro and macro plans keeping in view their allocation arrangements. Thereafter, these plans along with the data are sent to the National Development Council (NDC). The NDC again sends it to the Planning Commission with or without any amendment. Based on this, the ministries in the centre and the state government are asked to prepare their projects.
On the basis of the requisites of the plan obtained from different ministries and opinion of different specialists, the Planning Commission prepares a Draft Memorandum of the plan in which all policies and important details of the plan are laid down. The Draft Memorandum is sent to the central cabinet for discussion. After assessment, the central cabinet sends it to the National Development Council along with its suggestions. The NDC again sends it to the Planning Commission along with its suggestions.
The Planning Commission prepares a draft outline of the objectives and programmes of the plan, keeping in view the Draft Memorandum and suggestions given by the cabinet and NDC. This outline is sent to the various state governments and central ministries. It is published after receiving acceptance from the NDC. This published format along with the reactions and suggestions of the experts is again sent to the central cabinet and NDC. The approved format is laid down in its final form, which is presented to the Lok Sabha for discussion. After getting it ratified from the parliament, the government implements the plan.
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