NEW DELHI-Planning as Leisure-Time Activity

NEW DELHI Planning as Leisure-Time Activity B M IT was a brief meeting last week of the full Planning Commission. But it took far-reaching decisions. It' was decided that the current Fifth Five- Year Plan shall be terminated at the end of this financial year. This was not much of a surprise; the idea of terminating the Fifth Plan to allow greater freedom to the planners and the government to make adjustments in the light of what are called new priorities in development had been known to have been canvassed for some time. But the follow up on it was a big surprise and no hint of such a radical change in the planning system as was decided upon had been given earlier. It was decided that there would be no more Five-Year Plans or annual plans within their ambit. The entire system of planning would be replaced by a new system of five-year rolling plans. The first five-year Tolling plan would be got ready and launched from April next year.