Question

Who was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission of India?

• A. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
• B. Jawaharlal Nehru
• C. Lal Bahadur Shastri
• D. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Hint:

Important facts about the Planning Commission:

• Established: \textbf{15 March 1950}
• Chairman: \textbf{Prime Minister of India}
• First Chairman: \textbf{Jawaharlal Nehru}
• Replaced by: \textbf{NITI Aayog in 2015}

Memory trick: \[ \textbf{Planning Commission → Nehru Era} \]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
The Planning Commission of India was a government institution responsible for formulating India's Five-Year Plans and guiding the country's economic development. It was established on 15 March 1950 by a resolution of the Government of India. The main objective of the Planning Commission was to:

• Assess the country's resources
• Formulate development plans
• Determine priorities for economic growth
• Allocate resources effectively among different sectors

According to the structure of the Planning Commission, the Prime Minister of India served as its Chairman. At the time of its establishment in 1950, the Prime Minister was Jawaharlal Nehru. Therefore, he became the first Chairman of the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission functioned for several decades before being replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015.
Step 1: Identify when the Planning Commission was established.
\[ \text{Planning Commission established in } 1950 \]
Step 2: Determine who was the Prime Minister at that time.
\[ \text{Prime Minister in 1950} = \text{Jawaharlal Nehru} \]
Step 3: Apply the rule of the commission.
Since the Prime Minister serves as the Chairman of the Planning Commission, Jawaharlal Nehru automatically became the first Chairman.
Step 4: Analyze the options.

• Option (A): Dr. B. R. Ambedkar — Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.
• Option (B): Jawaharlal Nehru — Correct; first Chairman of the Planning Commission.
• Option (C): Lal Bahadur Shastri — Later Prime Minister of India.
• Option (D): Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — First Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.

Step 5: Final answer.
\[ \boxed{\text{Jawaharlal Nehru}} \]