Even as Jaswant Singh took over the reins at the Yojana Bhawan the process slowly went for an overall re-orientation in keeping with emerging economic trends.

The Planning Commission diversified its responsibilities to concentrate on new areas of a market-led economy. The Commission is now promoting economic policies after consulting the various chambers of industries. The Commission has also involved itself with the functional problems in major infrastructural sectors like telecom, roads, airports and information technology.

As the finalisation of state plans was delayed due to elections, there has been more emphasis on project specific assistance and mobilisation of additional revenue.

The Commission made the states agree to mobilisation of more resources and to reform public sector undertakings. In order tohave extra emphasis on food production, information technology, social infrastructure, physical infrastructure and water policy, the Planning Commission undertook a massive exercise of making desired changes in the draft Ninth Plan. Special action plans on these thrust areas were finalised and state approvals sought. The new Plan document has already been cleared by the prime minister and is awaiting a formal approval of the Union Cabinet. The Planning Commission moved a proposal to the prime minister to include changes in the planning process, including project-based Plan support and incentives to performing states.

Among others, the government aims at restructuring the plan panel as a precursor to the merger of the plan and non-plan heads. There is also a suggestion to include world trade issues into the ambit of the Commission.

Keeping in view the infrastructural deficiencies and demand-led recession being faced by the economy, the chairman has gone on to unleash infrastructure projects. Thisincludes the 7000-km super highway project, a liberalised policy framework for telecom sector and opening up of the financial sector.

These initiatives are also expected to reflect in the new Plan document, as and when it is finalised. But the pressures would be more on the finance ministry which would be hardpressed to promote new saving instruments and garner higher revenue in order to meet the growing investment requirements.