Planning Commission vs. NITI Aayog
Key Distinctions
The Planning Commission, established in 1950, was a non-constitutional body that formulated Five-Year Plans and allocated funds to states through plan expenditure. Its centralised model was criticised for failing to account for state-specific needs and for creating a dependency relationship between Centre and states. NITI Aayog's decentralised, advisory model is intended to foster competitive and cooperative federalism.
- Five-Year Plans were discontinued with the 12th Plan (2012-17); replaced by three-year Action Agendas and a 15-year Vision Document under NITI Aayog.
- NITI Aayog publishes indices such as the SDG India Index, State Health Index, and Innovation Index to foster competitive benchmarking among states.
- Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) continue to be funded through the Union Budget via the Finance Ministry, not NITI Aayog.
● Tracked since April 24, 2026 · last seen June 11, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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