The Planning Organization of the State is the major component of Secretariat Economic Services. The Planning Organisation is the machinery which is responsible for the formulation of the Five Year Plans, Annual Plans and all allied matters in the State. The Organisation also function as a liaison body between the Planning Commission and the State Government on all matters relating to Planning and development for the State of Meghalaya.

As per Rules of Executive Business of the Govt. of Meghalaya, the role and function of the state Planning Department is as reproduced below :

1. The Planning Department shall be responsible for over all planning, working out a strategy of development which maximize the national product through time; laying down the guidelines for the department regarding the drawing up of the departmental programme and schemes and working an economic, administrative and organisational appraisal of the plans and programme of various departments.

2. The Planning Department shall be consulted for advice by other Departments in matters relating to Plan formulation and the general principles relating to planning. Provided that it shall be open to the Planning Department to prescribe, by general or special order; cases in which such consultation with it may not be necessary.

The Planning Department is headed by the Minister (usually the portfolio is allocated to senior minister, Deputy C.M or is kept under the charge of C.M.; presently, the C.M. is the Minster for Planning). The Minister is assisted by senior Secretaries such as Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary,/& Commissioner & Secretary, followed by Deputy Secretary &/Under Secretary, Superintendent and Ministerial staffs in the Secretariat. The officers & staffs of Planning Department are drawn from various Services such as IAS, MCS, MSS, MPlS, Meghalaya subordinate services etc. With regard to decision making process, the Planning Department follows the procedures laid down in the Rules of Executive Business and Secretariat Manual of office procedures. After the matter is examined and processed by the Assistant (UDAs/LDAs) the Superintendent suggests action and normally submits the matters in the concerned file to the Under Secretary/Deputy Secretary who in turn submits to the higher authority i.e. Secretary/Commissioner & Secretary/Principal Secretary being the Head of Administrative Department. The senior secretaries generally passes orders for normal cases and for important matters the file is submitted to the Minister I/c Planning for decision and approvals. All policy and important matter requires the approval of the Minister.

The State Planning Board which is an apex planning advisory body in the State, form a part of the Planning Organization. This organization is also involved in Plan formulation and reviewing of the implementation of Plan Schemes. At the district level the District Planning and Development Councils (DPDC), formulate the District Plans and also does the monitoring and reviewing of the developmental activities in the district. There are other organizations such as MEDC, Meghalaya resource and employment generation council, other deliberations and decisions in the government which are taken on board on requirement basis while planning the process of development. These, however are not part of planning machinery.

The Planning Department has the following branches/offices under its control:-

1. The Planning Administration (in the Secretariat);

2. The Research Wing (in the Secretariat)

3. The District Planning Organisation (in the District headquarter, under the Deputy Commissioner’s office)

4. Directorate of Economics & Statistics.

5. The Science & Technology Cell.

The role and function of these branches are briefly stated below:-

1. The Planning Administration:

1. This branch deals with all matters relating to establishment matters relating to Planning Machinery at Head quarter and also District Planning offices under its control.

2. All matters relating to setting up of State Planning Board, District Planning and Development Council, Regional Planning and Development Council, Meghalaya Economic Development Council and Meghalaya Resource and Employment Generation Council.

3. Administrative Department of the Directorate of Economics, Statistics and Science and Technology Cell

2. The Planning Research Wing:- This is the Machinery which is responsible for the co-ordination of all development activities in the state and which acts as the coordinating and liaisoning body with the Government of India and other agencies in the matter of planning and development.

The Planning Department is the nodal Department of all development activities in the state. It acts fully as the State’s Liaison Department with the Planning Commission, the Ministry of DONER and the North Eastern Council. It is also acts partially as the Liaison Department with Central Government Ministries like the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Panchayat Raj Institution and the Ministry of Finance (Department of Plan Expenditure). At the State level, the Planning Department coordinates all development activities of different Development Departments comprising of the State Plan, the Centrally Sponsored & Central Sector Schemes, the NEC Schemes, the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources, Externally Aided Projects (EAP), Central Government Flagship Programmes etc.

The Planning Research Wing has a service of its own known as – ‘Meghalaya Planning Service. The Service includes all the gazetted posts from the level of Assistant Research Officers above. The posts at different levels above the entry level are filled up by way of promotion only through the Departmental Promotion Committee except in the case of Research Officers where the entry is made as per procedure given below :-

1. 50 (fifty) percent of the total posts of Research Officer are filled up by direct recruitment through the M.P.S.C. The minimum qualification required is 2^nd Class Master in Economics / Mathematics / Statistics OR Honours Degree in Economics / Mathematics / Statistics with 5 (five) years experience in Planning/ Statistical works.

2. The remaining 50 percent of the posts of Research Officers are filled up by way of promotion from among the Assistant Research Officers who have completed a minimum of 3 (three) years service.

3. The posts of Research Assistants are the feeder posts to the ‘Meghalaya Planning Service’ and all posts of Assistant Research Officers are filled up by way of promotion only from this level. Entry to the posts of Research Assistants is by direct recruitment through the M.P.S.C. The minimum qualification required is graduate with Economics or Mathematics or Statistics.

The Planning Machinery at the Headquarter has also one post of Computer Programmer and Data Entry Operator. There are also Ministerial staffs at the headquarters like UDA, Typist, Drivers & Peons which are filled up by staff from the Secretariat Administration Department.

3. The District Planning Offices : With a view to strengthen and improve the performance of the Planning Machinery at District level. The District Planning Office has been created in all District under the Deputy Commissioner’s office and is headed by (1) The District Planning Officer (DPO) as the Head of Office, appointed by Personnel Department from amongst IAS/ Sr. MCS and endorsed by the Planning Department. There are also Research Officer, Assistant Research Officer, Research Assistant and Ministerial staffs appointed by the Planning Department/ Deputy Commissioner. This office also services the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC).

The main duties and function of District Planning Office are as follows:-

1. to convene meetings of the District Planning Boards at least once in two months and to pursue the recommendations of such meetings with the concerned Departments of the State Government and other agencies;
2. to prepare District Annual Plans for the districts and to place the same before the District Planning Boards for consideration before submission to Government;
3. to monitor the implementation of various plan schemes in the districts in general, to identify the limiting factors in the implementation of plan schemes and to place the matter before the District Planning Boards and State Government with specific suggestions for ensuring speedy and efficient implementation of plan schemes;
4. to compile and consolidate quarterly progress reports of district-level plan schemes hitherto done by the District Statistical Officers, to place such consolidated reports before the District Planning Boards for review and then to finalise the consolidated quarterly progress reports of such district-level plan schemes for submission to Government in the month following each quarter. Quarterly progress reports may be obtained from the District Heads of Development Departments, who may also furnish such other information and materials as may be necessary for compilation of the reports;
5. to take up such other activities as may be assigned to them from time to time by the District Planning Boards or by the Government;
6. to perform all other functions as assigned to them by Government; and
7. to ensure co-ordination among all the District heads of Development Departments in the formulation and implementation of plan schemes.
    

4. Directorate of Economics & Statistics :- This is a full fledged Directorate falling under the administrative control of the Planning Department. This Directorate is responsible for all economic and statistical information in the state. It brings out statistical handbooks, economic surveys and estimates etc. The Directorate is headed by a full time Director. The officers are the members of ‘Meghalaya Economics and Statistics Service’.  Click here to Read More
    

5. Science & Technology Cell :- A Science & Technology Cell is also functioning under the control of the Planning department to guide and support the science and technology matters in the state.. This coordinates actions of entities such as The State Council of Science, Technology and Environment, Science Centre, and Bio-Resources Development Centre (BRDC). Click here to Read More