Planning in India is structured at multiple levels to ensure comprehensive development, particularly addressing the diverse needs of rural and urban populations. The planning framework is broadly categorized into three main levels: central or national level, state level, and district or local level, each with distinct objectives, responsibilities, and operational mechanisms. At the national level, planning is spearheaded by the Planning Commission historically, and currently by NITI Aayog, which provides the vision, strategy, and policy framework for the country’s socio-economic development. The national level focuses on macroeconomic planning, resource allocation, and setting targets for sectors such as agriculture, rural development, health, education, and infrastructure. National plans, typically formulated as Five-Year Plans in the past, outline broad objectives such as poverty alleviation, employment generation, and rural livelihood enhancement. These plans provide guidelines and financial allocations to state governments and central ministries, ensuring coherence between national priorities and sectoral programs. Rural development schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the Pradhan