Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Saturday said that the National Development Council (NDC) approval for the 12th Plan is expected by September.

Addressing a function on the 30th anniversary of NABARD in Mumbai Saturday Mr. Ahluwalia said that as per the expectations if the NDC gives final approval to 12th five year plan by September it will be a full three months before, as compared with the 10th and 11th Plans. He dismissed all the reports stating that the planning body may not be able to get the proposals approved by the NDC as scheduled by September, because many working groups are yet to submit the final reports.

Mr. Ahluwalia said that this presumed delay in approval of 12th five year plan does not impact the functioning of the Plan. He said that he said it takes time to get all the data from all agencies and ministries, including reports of steering committees and working groups and views of different ministries and departments. Mr. Ahluwalia stated that the documents for 10th and 11th Plans were also finalized much after the beginning of the respective Plan periods.

Mr. Ahluwalia informed that normally the Commission begins to finalise the Plan document in April of the beginning year and it takes at least six months to prepare the document. He stated that after the finalization of the document, it will be placed before the full Planning Commission, the Union Cabinet and the NDC.