Planning Commission and NITI Aayog roles. - One Line Questions

1. In which year was the Planning Commission established in India? 1950
2. The Planning Commission was abolished by a resolution of the Union Cabinet. This highlights its nature as: An executive body
3. The Planning Commission's annual plans were often criticized for: Creating bottlenecks in resource allocation.
4. Which of the following is a key initiative or framework associated with NITI Aayog's approach? Strategy for New India @ 75
5. The Planning Commission's approach to planning was often described as: Centralized and directive.
6. NITI Aayog's publications, such as India's development indices, serve the purpose of: Performance monitoring and evaluation.
7. The concept of 'indicative planning' is more associated with NITI Aayog's approach compared to the Planning Commission's 'imperative planning'. What does indicative planning entail? Guiding and influencing the market without direct control.
8. NITI Aayog's role as a facilitator aims to: Promote collaboration between different stakeholders.
9. The Planning Commission was established based on the recommendations of which body? Advisory Planning Board
10. What was the 'commanding heights' doctrine associated with the Planning Commission's approach? State control over key sectors of the economy.
11. NITI Aayog acts as a knowledge and innovation hub. This means it is expected to: Conduct research and provide evidence-based policy advice.
12. The Planning Commission's approach was often criticized for being too rigid and not adapting to changing economic conditions. NITI Aayog aims to address this by: Focusing on a more flexible and dynamic policy environment.
13. One of the objectives of NITI Aayog is to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. This aligns with which economic principle? Market liberalization
14. The Planning Commission's policy of import substitution aimed to: Promote domestic production by discouraging imports.
15. The shift from Planning Commission to NITI Aayog reflects a broader policy change towards: A more market-driven and competitive economy
16. NITI Aayog's emphasis on evidence-based policy making means it relies on: Empirical data and research.
17. What is the significance of the 'Governing Council' of NITI Aayog? It includes Chief Ministers of states and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories.
18. The Planning Commission was an extra-constitutional body. What does this imply? It was established by an executive resolution of the Government of India.
19. What was the main criticism leveled against the Planning Commission? It promoted excessive state intervention and lacked flexibility.
20. The Planning Commission's role in resource allocation meant it had significant influence over: State budgets and development priorities
21. What does NITI Aayog stand for? National Institute for Transforming India
22. Which constitutional body was originally responsible for planning in India? Planning Commission
23. Which organization replaced the Planning Commission in 2015? NITI Aayog
24. Which of the following best describes the relationship between NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance regarding policy? NITI Aayog provides policy recommendations, while the Ministry of Finance handles fiscal matters and fund allocation.
25. Unlike the Planning Commission, NITI Aayog does not have the power to allocate funds. What is the implication of this? Fund allocation is now primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.
26. What was the institutional arrangement for planning in India before the establishment of the Planning Commission? No formal planning mechanism existed.
27. What was the term of the Five-Year Plans formulated by the Planning Commission? Five years
28. The Planning Commission's recommendations were often presented to which body for final approval? National Development Council
29. NITI Aayog's focus on 'bottom-up' planning implies: Local and grassroots-level inputs are crucial for policy formulation.
30. Who is the full-time operational head of NITI Aayog? Chief Executive Officer
31. NITI Aayog's agenda includes promoting sustainable development goals (SDGs). This is a shift towards: Integrating environmental and social objectives with economic growth.
32. The Planning Commission was criticized for its perceived lack of accountability to the Parliament. NITI Aayog aims to improve accountability through: Its nature as a think tank providing recommendations.
33. Who was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission? Jawaharlal Nehru
34. NITI Aayog's mandate includes promoting a 'whole-of-government' approach. This signifies: Integrated policy-making and implementation across different government departments.
35. NITI Aayog's focus on 'competitive federalism' encourages: States to compete with each other for better governance and outcomes.
36. The dissolution of the Planning Commission and the establishment of NITI Aayog can be seen as a move towards: Decentralizing policy formulation and promoting federalism.
37. NITI Aayog has established different types of councils to foster cooperative federalism. Which of the following is one such council? National Development Council
38. NITI Aayog emphasizes 'Cooperative Federalism'. What does this mean in practice? States and the Central government work together in policy formulation and implementation.
39. Who is the ex-officio Chairman of NITI Aayog? The Prime Minister of India
40. Who appoints the Vice Chairman and full-time members of NITI Aayog? The Prime Minister of India
41. What was the primary role of the Planning Commission? To formulate five-year plans for economic development
42. NITI Aayog functions as a think tank. What is its primary role as a think tank? To provide policy recommendations and strategic direction.
43. The Planning Commission's structure included a Deputy Chairman and full-time members. What was their primary function? To oversee the implementation of five-year plans
44. The National Development Council (NDC) was an important body under the Planning Commission. What was its role? To approve the final five-year plans.
45. What is the role of the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog? To be a full-time executive head of the organization.
46. The Chief Ministers of states were part of the National Development Council (NDC). What was their role in relation to the Planning Commission? To provide input and approve the Five-Year Plans.
47. Which of the following is NOT a stated objective of NITI Aayog? To allocate funds to states for development projects.
48. What was the primary aim of the Five-Year Plans during the era of the Planning Commission? To achieve rapid economic growth and social transformation.
49. What is the core philosophy behind NITI Aayog? Bottom-up approach, cooperative federalism, and market-oriented reforms.