Overview

Over the last two decades, Kerala's experience in decentralisation has been accepted globally as one of the most significant institutional reforms in public governance. Kerala adopted a big bang approach to decentralisation with the launch of People's Plan Campaign on August 17, 1996. The process of Decentralised Planning was launched during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, consequent to the enactment of Kerala Panchayati Raj Act (1994) and Kerala Municipality Act (1994). Under the Ttenth Five-Year Plan, the decentralisation programme in Kerala was restructured and named "Kerala Development Plan" (KDP). In the Eleventh Five-Year Plan period, the entire process was revamped by giving stress to the concept "People's Planning," focusing on the completion of the institutionalisation of decentralised government. The Twelfth Five-Year Plan approach envisaged concrete steps to strengthen the planning process with the use of information technology. The second phase of the "People's Plan," campaign has been inaugurated. The thrust in the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan period is on second generation  social and economic issues confronting the State. The second phase of decentralised planning aims at solving these second generation problems with genuine people's participation backed by strong administrative and political measures.

The Decentralised Planning Division is headed by a Chief supported by a team as in organogram.

Major Responsibilities

• Formulation of Five-Year Plans and Annual Plans
• Preparation of Plan Budget and Economic Review
• Offer comments, advices, remarks and appraisal reports on files and project proposals received from Departments and Government from time to time.
• Representing Working Group meetings in respect of the concerned Departments forthe approval of projects
• Conducting studies in the concerned sectors
• Formulation of district Plans
• Overall monitoring of District Planning Offices

Key initiatives of the Division

• Implementation and monitoring of Plans of Local Self Government Institutions incollaboration with the Local Self Government Department. Prepare draft guidelines, and instructions for local-level/district planning
• Undertake need based studies to improve the decentralised planning process by identifying the critical gaps and shortfalls in the scenario
• Periodically convening the District Planning Officer’s meeting with a view to evaluate their performance in co-ordinating the Plans of Local Govermwents MPLADS, WGDP, review of district-levelPlan schemes and provide necessary guidance to them for better functioning