The central government has decided to discontinue the five-year plans set up by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru after the current one ends in March next year. The Centre aims to replace this with a 15-year blueprint with a shorter seven-year strategy, as part of its National Development Agenda. This will focus not only on social and sustainable development goals, but on defence and internal security as well, The Economic Times reported.

The proposal will include mid-term reviews every three years, with the first appraisal in 2019-20. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the plan the go-ahead, and it is set to come into force after the 12th five-year plan concludes in 2016. This will end one of the last economic policies launched during Nehru’s term.

The NITI Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission when the Modi government came to power two years ago, has been given the task of formulating the 15-year plans. The central body will create a platform to monitor, evaluate and review various schemes and also specify target results.