▁economic ▁planning ▁ag ency . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁VS N K h ▁throughout ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁de cade , ▁gain ing ▁promotion ▁to ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁in ▁D ear born , ▁Michigan , ▁in ▁his ▁capacity ▁as ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁VS N K h , ▁Me zh la uk , ▁together ▁with ▁President ▁of ▁Amt org , ▁Sa ul ▁Bron , ▁signed ▁the ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁Ford ▁Motor ▁Company ▁for ▁assistance ▁in ▁building ▁the ▁first ▁Soviet ▁autom obile ▁plant ▁( GA Z ) ▁near ▁N iz h ni i ▁Nov gor od ▁( G ork y ). ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Me zh la uk ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁first ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Pl anning ▁Agency ▁( G os plan ), ▁an ▁institution ▁which ▁was ▁emer ging ▁as ▁central ▁economic ▁planning ▁department ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁G os plan ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁made ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁People ’ s ▁Comm iss ars ▁of ▁the ▁USS R ▁and ▁a ▁full ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 – 1 9 3 7 ▁he ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁vice - ch