developed Into Its present form. It Is presently composed of a central office, the National Planning Institute CINP), agencies located In each Ministry called Sectoral Planning Offices, and regional bureaus. The head of the INP Is given the administrative position of Minister. The principle tasks of the INP under his charge are: 1. The devising of the development strategy. 2. The coordination of the sectoral planning process. 3. The forecasting of national economic variables. 4. The determination at the national level. of and the establishing of priorities amongst proJects. Investment the maJor All these Issues are medium and long term In scope. The short term Issues, principally the ones referring the "stabll lzatlon of the economy• are administered by the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Commerce (MLFC>• which are responsible for the annual fiscal budget. The pl~nnlng process Is carried out through the formulation, execution and evaluation of the global and regional plan of medium (4 years) and short term (1-2 years) duration. The short term plans detail specification of obJectives, pol lcles, and proJects for the·flrst years Including the fiscal budget. This scheme present two maJor problems: 1. Science and Technology Is not Included adequately In this process. Presented by Gerardo Ramos 210 2. There Is an absence both of a sufficient administrative capacity to Implement the development plans, and of a built-In decision process ~apable of self-correction. Finally, It Is necessary to say that presently the entire economic administration has a more liberal economic outlook than was true during the last decade when the planning system grew. As a consequence. the planning system, Including the INP, has lost much of Its Influence and lmporance. The plans are seldom consulted In the formulation of the government economic pol ley or 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the organization and functions of a national planning institute, focusing on its role in developing and implementing economic development strategies, coordinating sectoral planning, and forecasting national economic variables. It highlights the institute's medium- and long-term planning scope, which includes determining national priorities, investment, and budget allocation. The text also touches on the challenges faced by the institute, such as inadequate inclusion of science and technology and insufficient administrative capacity. Overall, the text appears to be related to the field of economic development and planning.

**Category**
Economic development