Elements of a Developmental Plan

1) Land Use

The developmental plan should indicate areas designated for residential, commercial, industrial, socio-cultural, recreational, administrative and other uses. 

2) Circulation

The roads, streets, railways, waterways, airways, terminal facilities, transit systems etc. for the movement of people, goods and services. 

3) Utilities, services and facilities

The developmental plan should indicates the desirable location, size and other particulars regarding public utilities like water supply, sewerage and power, and other services. 

4) Civic design

The developmental plan should depict the design of important elements of the city like civic centre, the central business district, shopping centres and cultural areas. 

5) Open spaces

The developmental plan indicates the location and extent of desirable open spaces for parks, playgrounds, stadiums, gardens, crematoria etc.

Legal Status of Development Plan 

The implementation of development plan would be possible if it is made legally binding on all the concerned authorities. Hence it should be made obligatory and give the plan. The legal status to facilitate its implementation. 

Co-operation 

 The success of a plan depends on the active participation and cooperation of the people. A wide range of voluntary organizations and institutions such as youth clubs, colony associations, chambers of commerce, women councils and professional bodies may be involved in the planning process. The mass media such as newspapers, journals, radio, television and cinema can be effective in educating the public on civic problems and planning. Well-presented monographs, booklets, handouts, pamphlets, manuals, guides etc. go a long way in stimulating civic interest in planning. 

Planning Commission 

After independence, the Planning Commission was set up by the Government of India in March 1950. The Commission was instructed to 

  • Make an assessment of the material capital and human resources of the country, and formulate a plan for the most effective and balanced utilization of them 
  • To determine priorities, define the stages for carrying the plan and propose the allocation of resources for the due completion of each stage 
  • To act as an advisory body to the union government 
  • To determine the conditions which (in view of the then current sociopolitical conditions) should be established for the execution of the plan 
  • To advise the centre and the state government 

All the plans made by planning commission have to be approved by NDC (National Development Council) first. It was constituted to build cooperation between States and the Planning Commission. Like planning commission, NDC is also an extra constitutional/legal body. It was setup on 6th August 1952. State Planning Board is the Apex Planning body at State Level with Chief Minister as Chairman, Finance and Planning Ministers of the state and some technical members. District Planning Committee is also there comprising both official and nonofficial members. 

Types of Developmental Plans 

  • National development plan 
  • Sectoral development plan 
  • Local / Area development plan 
  • Zonal development plan
  • City development plan 
  • Regional development plan 

    

Stages of Preparation and Method of Execution of Development Plan

It includes Planning department of the local government, Specialized planning organization, A consultant and State town planning department. General methods normally followed for the preparation are: 

  1. Collection of data and relevant information from civic survey and other sources 
  2. Preparation of a tentative draft of the development plan and notifying the same for comments, suggestions and discussions from experts and the public 
  3. Considerations of views received from experts and the public with sympathy and without any prejudice 
  4. Preparation of the revised development plan accommodating the good aspects of comments received from experts and the public.
  5. Determination of the sequence in which the development plan will be implemented.

Method of Execution

The execution of the development plan is carried out by the Municipal or Corporation authorities. The first thing to be determined is the layout of the road system. It requires a functional approach to the more important sociological aspects of the town, viz. 'Folk, Place and Work'. Lastly a financial program is prepared to devise the ways and means for the implementation of the Development Plan according to the schedule. For execution a team of experts in Engineering, Architecture, Public health, Sociology, Economics, Finance etc. headed by a Town Planner is required. 
The plan making and plan implementation are inseparable. The interim development plan also called the Outline Development Plan is thus prepared by the planning authority. The statutory time limit is two years. It shall then be notified for the public comments and suggestions (Time one month). The Draft plan may be revised in the light of the public and expert comments and shall be submitted for Government's sanction. (Four months from date of publication of the draft plan. The Govt. sanctions the revised plan and appoints an arbitrator. 
The Arbitrator after holding proceedings in respect of each plot publishes the award and submits the detailed proposals to the higher authority such as the President of the Tribunal of Arbitration (No fixed time limit but at least twelve months for small scheme). The Arbitrator prepares the final scheme and submits to Govt. with plans through the local authority (usually six months). The local authority forwards the final scheme to the Govt. (usually three months). Govt. sanctions the final scheme after the photo zinco Dept., has printed all the plans. The detailed Development Plan also called the comprehensive Development Plan is duly approved and sanctioned by the Govt. 

Legal Status of Development Plan 

The implementation of development plan would be possible if it is made legally binding on all the concerned authorities. Hence it should be made obligatory and give the plan. The legal status to facilitate its implementation. 

 Co-operation 

The success of a plan depends on the active participation and cooperation of the people. A wide range of voluntary organizations and institutions such as youth clubs, colony associations, chambers of commerce, women councils and professional bodies may be involved in the planning process. The mass media such as newspapers, journals, radio, television and cinema can be effective in educating the public on civic problems and planning. Well-presented monographs, booklets, handouts, pamphlets, manuals, guides etc. go a long way in stimulating civic interest in planning.