The Planning Department is the nodal department for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating government programs, including the allocation and sanctioning of funds for schemes such as the Special Development Fund (SDF), Constituency Development Fund (CDP), Crucial Balancing Fund (CBF), Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) and MPLADS Scheme. The department also provides grant-in-aid to institutions, i.e., MCRHRD Institute of Telangana, Council for Social Development (CSD), and Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) for training and research projects and to the Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad (TBSP) for the welfare of the deprived population within the Brahmin community. The Department is the nodal department for all NITI Aayog programs such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Aspirational District Program (ADP), and Aspirational Blocks Program (ABP), in the State.
The Department has three wings: the Directorate of Economics & Statistics (Head of the Department); the Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS); and the Telangana Remote-Sensing Application Centre (TRAC).
The department undertakes the task of compiling a yearly Socio-Economic Outlook (SEO), which serves as a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic landscape within the state. This document encapsulates various facets of the state’s socio-economic status and presents an outlook for its future trajectory.
Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DES): Head of the Department
The Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) functions as the primary statistical authority within the Government of Telangana, serving as its centralized statistical organization. Its primary role encompasses the comprehensive management of statistical data throughout the state. This entails the systematic collection, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of data across various sectors and domains, covering a wide array of statistical matters. Subsequently, the findings and analyses are presented to the public and relevant stakeholders through various publications and reports. By serving as the authoritative source of statistical information, the Directorate is crucial in facilitating evidence-based decision-making, policy formulation, and strategic planning across different governmental departments and sectors within the state.
DES deals with the collection of Agricultural Statistics, Industrial Statistics, Price Statistics, Social Statistics, conducting of Crop Estimation Surveys on Food & Non-Food crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Socio-Economic Surveys, Estimation of GSDP, and conducts various Censuses and Surveys of GOI.
DES has been designated as the State Agricultural Statistics Authority (SASA) and Rainfall Registration Authority for the State.
Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS):
TGDPS is a support system that carries out activities related to weather monitoring, weather forecasts, dissemination of real-time weather information, evaluation of Government schemes, and collaborative initiatives to improve public governance.
1044 Automatic weather stations set up by the society are continuously monitoring the weather conditions in the state based on five parameters i.e., Rainfall, Temperature, Humidity, Wind Speed, and Wind Direction.
The information captured by these weather stations is being displayed 24×7 across the state through 42 LED Boards fixed one each in 33 District Headquarters and the remaining 9 in the GHMC area for Dynamic Real-Time Data Dissemination of the Weather products generated by TGDPS.
The Government, through TGDPS, has recruited 17 qualified young professionals from reputed institutions in India and abroad under the Kakatiya Governance Fellowship.
These professionals are currently involved in the creation of evidence-based policy roadmaps for reforms in key sectors, monitoring and evaluation studies, and the preparation of high-impact reports.
These Fellows are supporting the departments of Agriculture, Education, Finance, Health, Mining, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Planning and, Women and Child Welfare as well as in the State Planning Board.
Telangana Remote-Sensing Applications Centre (TRAC):
TRAC is the nodal agency for providing Remote Sensing & GIS Technology Application Services to various state and central government departments working for the development of the Telangana.
TRAC provides critical technological help to several major initiatives of the Government like Water Grid, CADA, minor irrigation tanks, disaster assessment and mitigation, village information system with cadastral data and acreage and productivity of various crops, and identification of groundwater potential under National Drinking Water Mission.
Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS):
CESS is an autonomous academic institution, serving the State to undertake broad-based multi-disciplinary social science research by bringing appropriate teams to work on a particular developmental issue.
The CESS undertakes Research activities and conducts various conferences, seminars, lectures other important events aimed to disseminate and share research findings and foster intellectual exchange among scholars, professionals, and other stakeholders. The Planning Department provides grant-in-aid support to CESS.
Council for Social Development (CSD):
The Council for Social Development (CSD), supported by the Department of Planning, Government of Telangana has been engaged in policy research in the area of Social Development. CSD is a leading research and policy studies institution that puts equality and justice at the core of social development.
The focus of research is on marginalized groups, socio-religious minorities, and women and girls. CSD encourages comparative studies of different cultures, the examination of diverse impacts of policy, and an appreciation of diversity in understanding the relationship between the state and people. To this end, CSD has conducted research and published many pioneering studies.
CSD engages in policy-oriented research with a special focus on social aspects of development planning and concern for social justice and equity that continues to guide the work of CSD.