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    Planning Branch

    Planning Branch

    Key Features of the Branch

    The Planning Branch functions under the supervision of the Hon’ble Divisional Commissioner. Through this branch, oversight is maintained on the operations of the offices of District Planning Officers (Planning Branch), who work under the jurisdiction of the respective District Collectors in the division.

    At the divisional level, this branch supervises the following schemes:

    1. District Annual Plan (General Plan/ Tribal Sub-Plan/ Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan)
    2. MLA Local Area Development Program
    3. MP Local Area Development Program
    4. Hilly Area Development Program
    5. Human Development Program
    6. Regional Tourism Development Plan
    7. Additionally, the branch handles evaluation and survey works as received from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Mumbai.

    To execute and supervise above schemes, the following officers/ employees are deployed:

    • Deputy Commissioner (Planning)
    • Research Officer (Evaluation)
    • Planning Branch:
      • Assistant Research Officer (Planning)
      • Statistical Assistant (Planning)
      • Stenographer (H.G.)
    • Evaluation Branch:
      • Assistant Research Officer (Evaluation)
      • Statistical Assistant (Evaluation)

    Contact:

     

     

    Maharashtra is also one of the state that have adopted the principle of decentralization in the planning process. While implementing various schemes at the district level, priorities are determined, and a draft district plan is prepared within the allocated outlay received from the Government.

    For this purpose, the schemes in the state are classified as follows:

    1. State-Level Schemes
    2. State-Pool Schemes
    3. District-Level Schemes

    To supervise the above-mentioned schemes at the divisional level, Planning Branch has been established to assist the Divisional Commissioner. Through this branch, monitoring is carried out for the District Annual Plan (General), Tribal Sub-Plan, Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, MLA Local Development Programme, MP Local Development Programme, Hilly Area Development Programme, Human Development Programme, and Regional Tourism Development Scheme. Additionally, this branch also handles evaluation survey work received from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Mumbai.

    District Annual Plan

    After the formation of the State of Maharashtra in 1960, the Government adopted the principle of balanced development. For this purpose, while formulating Five-Year Plans and District Plans, the district was considered as the basic unit, and District Planning and Development Boards were established in each district. In accordance with Article 243 ZD of the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the District Planning and Development Boards have now been replaced by District Planning Committees. The Guardian Minister of the district serves as the Chairperson of the District Planning Committee, while the concerned District Collector functions as the Member Secretary of the Committee

    For the preparation of the District Annual Plan, the Government issues an allocated outlay limit and related guidelines. In accordance with these guidelines and within the prescribed outlay, the District Planning Committee prepares the draft of District Annual Plan and submits it to the Government. The said draft is approved in a state-level meeting chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Planning.

    After the finalisation of the plan, scheme-wise funds are made available to the District Collector through the budgetary allocation system. Based on this, funds are disbursed by the District Collector to the district-level implementing agencies for the execution of respective schemes.

    To monitor district-level schemes, monthly review meetings are conducted at the district level by District Collector and the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad. At the divisional level, the Divisional Commissioner conducts review meetings with the District Collectors, Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads, and divisional-level officers to assess the progress of the schemes.

    District Annual Plan approved Outlay for 2024-25 (₹ in crore):

    Sr. No. District General Plan Tribal Sub-Plan SC Sub-Plan Total District Plan
    1 Nashik 813.00 349.50 101.00 1263.50
    2 Dhule 312.00 125.57 32.00 469.57
    3 Nandurbar 192.00 389.25 14.00 595.25
    4 Jalgaon 731.00 57.93 144.00 755.99
    5 Ahilyanagar 731.00 57.93 144.00 932.93
    Nashik Division 2655.00 978.24 384.00 4017.24

    MLA Local Area Development Program

    Since 1984-85, the Local Area Development Programme for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) has been implemented in the State. Under this programme, local development schemes that can be completed within a year are included. In the Nashik Division, there are a total of 47 MLAs and 6 MLCs. The current district-wise status is shown in the table below.

    Current Legislative Representation in Nashik Division:

    Sr. No. District Talukas Constituencies MLAs MLCs
    1 Nashik 15 15 15 2
    2 Dhule 4 5 5 1
    3 Nandurbar 6 4 4 0
    4 Jalgaon 15 11 11 1
    5 Ahilyanagar 14 12 12 2
    Nashik Division 54 47 47 6

    Under the above-mentioned programme, an amount of ₹5.00 crore is sanctioned for each MLA. Within this allocated limit, the Hon’ble MLAs make recommendations for developmental works in their respective constituencies. The monitoring of this programme at the district level is carried out through the office of the District Collector.

    MP Local Area Development Program

    The Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) is a centrally sponsored scheme, implemented in the State since 1993, modelled on the MLA Local Area Development Programme. Initially, under this scheme, an amount of ₹ 5.00 lakh was made available to each MP for developmental works. Currently, this limit has been increased to ₹ 5.00 crore. Each MP receives ₹ 5.00 crore for every financial year during their term of office.

    After the end of the financial year, any unspent funds from that year do not lapse and remain available for expenditure in the subsequent financial year. Under this programme, the Government of India issues separate guidelines for the implementation of schemes. In accordance with these guidelines and based on the recommendations of the Hon’ble Members of Parliament, works such as small roads, link roads, minor bridges, classrooms for primary schools, community halls, libraries, etc., are undertaken. In the Nashik Division, a total of 8 Members of the Lok Sabha are currently serving. The district-wise status is shown in the table below.

    Current Parliamentary Representation in Nashik Division:

    Sr. No. District Talukas Lok Sabha Seats Lok Sabha MPs Rajya Sabha MPs
    1 Nashik 15 2 2 0
    2 Dhule 4 1 1 0
    3 Nandurbar 6 1 1 0
    4 Jalgaon 15 2 2 0
    5 Ahilyanagar 14 2 2 0
    Nashik Division 54 8 8 0

    Hilly Area Development Program

    With the objective of achieving balanced development across the State, the need to accord special status to hilly areas was recognized while formulating the Five-Year Plans and District Annual Plans. Accordingly, in October 1988, the State Government constituted a sub-committee of the Cabinet to define the areas classified as hilly regions and to understand the issues faced by these regions. Based on the recommendations of the said sub-committee, criteria were established for the identification of hilly regions. Accordingly, the State Government classified the hilly areas into ‘Full Groups’ and ‘Sub-Groups’ and formally declared them as hilly regions. In the Nashik Division, there are currently 16 Full Groups and 20 Sub-Groups, where this special programme is being implemented. The district-wise details of Full Groups and Sub-Groups within the division are as follows.

    S. No. District Total Talukas Total Full Groups Total Sub-Groups
    1 Nashik 15 9 5
    2 Dhule 4 2 1
    3 Nandurbar 6 3 3
    4 Jalgaon 15 0 6
    5 Ahilyanagar 14 2 5
    Nashik Division 54 16 20

    To ensure the holistic development of the declared hilly regions, the State Government sanctions ₹2.00 crore for each Full Group and ₹1.00 crore for each Sub-Group. To ensure effective implementation of this scheme, a District-Level Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Guardian Minister of the respective district. The State Government has directed that 25% of the funds received by the district should be utilized for educational purposes, and the remaining 75% for other developmental works. Under this programme, various developmental works can be undertaken, such as road construction, primary health centres, rural water supply schemes, primary education facilities, minor irrigation projects, lift irrigation schemes, small bridges, community temples, social halls, Anganwadi buildings, and solar energy-based electrification projects

    Human Development Program

    The concept of Human Development pertains to creating an environment in which individuals can develop their full potential. This enables them to lead creative and productive lives according to their needs and aspirations, and also to participate in decision-making processes from the perspective of social welfare.

    As per the Human Development Report 2002, to improve the Human Development Index of 12 most backward districts in the State, the Government of Maharashtra established the ‘Human Development Mission’ on 29th June 2006. According to the report, out of the four districts selected from the Nashik Division, Dhule and Nandurbar have been classified as most backward. To ensure effective implementation and monitoring of this programme, a ‘District Committee’ has been constituted under the chairmanship of the District Collector at the district level, and a ‘Taluka Committee’ under the chairmanship of the Group Development Officer at the taluka level. In 2011, the State Government expanded the scope of this programme by considering the taluka as the implementing unit instead of the district. Accordingly, the programme is being implemented in a total of 125 talukas across the State, out of which 25 talukas in the Nashik Division are currently covered under this programme. The district-wise details of the division are as follows.

    S. No. District Talukas Included in the Program Urban Area Human Development Index of the District (2012)
    1 Nashik Surgana, Peth, Kalwan, Dindori, Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, Satana, Nandgaon (8) Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, Satana, Nandgaon 0.746 (8th)
    2 Dhule Shirpur, Sakri, Dhule, Sindkheda (4) — 0.671 (26th)
    3 Nandurbar Akkalkuwa, Nandurbar, Akrani, Taloda, Nwapur, Shahada (6) Taloda, Nwapur 0.604 (34th)
    4 Jalgaon Chalisgaon, Chopda, Jamner, Bodwad, Erandol, Muktainagar, Amalner (7) Jamner, Erandol 0.723 (14th)

    The following initiatives are currently being implemented under this program:

    1. Establishment of study centers in secondary schools located in major village.
    2. To make education accessible to all girls in rural areas by providing bus transportation between the village and the school.
    3. Distribution of bicycles to girl students studying in Classes 8 to 12.
    4. Providing laboratory equipment to government/ aided secondary and higher secondary schools.
    5. Establishment of Bal Bhavan Science Centres at the taluka level.
    6. Extension of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Yojana up to Class 10.
    7. Health check-ups of pregnant women by specialist female doctors, and examination and treatment of mothers and children in the age group of 0 to 6 months.
    8. Providing wage compensation (maternity benefit) to women from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Below Poverty Line categories during childbirth.
    9. Preparation of district/taluka-specific schemes (Up to 20% of the total funds available for the taluka may be utilized for this purpose).
    10. Implementation of skill development and employment generation schemes.

    Evaluation Study of Schemes

    The government implements various development schemes, and it is necessary to evaluate these schemes to assess their success. According to the planning department government resolution dated 30/09/1998, instructions have been issued to evaluate selected schemes from among these.

    • The responsibility for evaluating the schemes or programs under the schemes being implemented by the government has been entrusted to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, non-governmental organizations meeting prescribed criteria, the Deputy Commissioner (Planning), and the District Planning Officer.
    • At the Deputy Commissioner (Planning) level, the responsibility for evaluation has been assigned to the Evaluation Section of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Regional Office, along with the concerned officers/employees.
    • The tasks related to evaluation that were previously handled by the regional office are now reassigned to this office. Only the location has been changed. Accordingly, the Directorate of Economics and Statistics evaluates selected schemes every year.