Constitution and Composition of District Planning Committee

(1) The Government shall constitute in every district, a District Planning Committee to consolidate the plans prepared by the Village Panchayats, Commune Panchayat Councils and the Municipal Councils and to prepare a draft development plan for the district as a whole.

(2) (a) The committee shall consist of not more that fifteen members representing the following, namely: --

(i) such number of persons, not less than four-fifth as may be specified by the Government, elected in the prescribed manner from amongst, the elected members of Commune Panchayats and the Municipal Councils in the district in proportion to the ratio between the population of the rural areas and of the urban areas in the district;

(ii) Secretary to Government in-charge of the work relating to local self-Government.

(iii) the Director, Local Administration Department, Government of Puducherry;

(iv) the District Collector concerned, ex-officio.

(b) The following persons shall be permanent special invitees of the committee: --

(i) the Member of the House of the People who represents the Union territory of Puducherry.

(ii) the Member of the Council of States whose name is registered as an elector in the Union territory of Puducherry.

(iii) not more than four members of the Legislative Assembly whose constituencies lie within Puducherry district and not more than two members of the Legislative Assembly whose constituencies lie within Karaikal district, as nominated, from time to time by the Speaker:

Provided that where a Member of Parliament or a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory is appointed as Minister or elected as Speaker or Deputy Speaker or appointed as the Government Chief Whip or a recognised Leader of the Opposition, he may nominate a person from the area he represents as member to represent him in the committee of the district to which he was a permanent invitee;

(iv) the Chairpersons of the Commune Panchayat Councils in the district;

(v) the Chairpersons of the Municipal Councils in the district;

(vi) the Secretary to Government in-charge of the work relating to finance;

(vii) the Secretary to Government in-charge of the work relating to planning;

(viii) such number of persons having special knowledge and experience in matters relating to local self-Government, administration, planning and other allied subjects, as nominated by the Government.

(c) The permanent special invitees referred to in clause (b) shall be entitled to take part in the proceedings of the meetings of the committee.

(3) The Chief Minister of the Union territory of Puducherry shall be the ex-officio Chairperson of the every District Planning Committee.

(4) The Director, Local Administration Department, Government of Puducherry shall be the Secretary to every District Planning Committee.