Five-year plans and their impacts

Introduction #

India’s Five-Year Plans were a series of centralized and integrated national economic programs. The Planning Commission of India oversaw the implementation of these plans from 1951 to 2017, aiming to promote balanced economic growth, poverty alleviation, and social justice. This section explores the objectives, key policies, and impacts of each Five-Year Plan from the First Plan (1951-1956) to the Twelfth Plan (2012-2017).

First Five-Year Plan (1951-1956) #

1. Objectives

   • Focus on agriculture, irrigation, and energy to achieve food self-sufficiency.
   • Rehabilitation of refugees from partition.

2. Key Policies

   • Investment in major irrigation projects like Bhakra-Nangal and Hirakud dams.
   • Development of community development programs.

3. Impact

   • Achieved substantial increases in food production.
   • Laid the foundation for future infrastructure development.
   • Gained experience in planning and development processes.

Second Five-Year Plan (1956-1961) #

1. Objectives

   • Emphasis on industrialization with a focus on heavy industries.
   • Adoption of the Mahalanobis model of economic growth.

2. Key Policies

   • Establishment of steel plants in Bhilai, Rourkela, and Durgapur.
   • Development of the machine-building industry.

3. Impact

   • Significant industrial growth and development of public sector enterprises.
   • Foundation laid for technological and industrial self-reliance.
   • Employment generation in the industrial sector.

Third Five-Year Plan (1961-1966) #

1. Objectives

   • Focus on self-reliant economic growth and increased agricultural production.
   • Expansion of basic industries.

2. Key Policies

   • Investment in the agricultural sector and development of fertilizers.
   • Strengthening of the transport and communication sectors.

3. Impact

   • Plan period ended prematurely due to the Indo-China war in 1962 and subsequent Indo-Pak war in 1965.
   • Agricultural growth was hindered by droughts in 1965-66.
   • Industrial growth was significant, but the overall economic performance was below expectations.

Fourth Five-Year Plan (1969-1974) #

1. Objectives

   • Growth with stability and progressive achievement of self-reliance.
   • Focus on the green revolution to achieve food security.

2. Key Policies

   • Intensive agricultural development programs.
   • Strengthening of the public distribution system for food security.

3. Impact

   • Successful implementation of the green revolution, leading to increased agricultural productivity.
   • Issues of inflation and industrial stagnation persisted.
   • Improvement in the infrastructure sector.

Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974-1979) #

1. Objectives

   • Eradication of poverty and attainment of self-reliance.
   • Promotion of social justice.

2. Key Policies

   • Implementation of the Minimum Needs Programme.
   • Expansion of the public distribution system and rural employment programs.

3. Impact

   • Achieved growth in national income and agricultural output.
   • Plan was terminated prematurely in 1978 due to political changes.
   • Set the stage for future poverty alleviation programs.

Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-1985) #

1. Objectives

   • Direct attack on the problem of poverty.
   • Technological modernization and increased productivity.

2. Key Policies

   • Introduction of the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP).
   • Emphasis on infrastructure development and technology upgradation.

3. Impact

   • Marked improvements in agricultural productivity and rural development.
   • Expansion of the industrial base and infrastructure.
   • Significant reduction in poverty levels.

Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985-1990) #

1. Objectives

   • Accelerating food grain production and increasing employment opportunities.
   • Promoting social justice and reduction in regional disparities.

2. Key Policies

   • Emphasis on policies for improving agricultural productivity.
   • Implementation of employment generation schemes.

3. Impact

   • Achieved growth in agriculture and industry.
   • Improvement in rural infrastructure and social services.
   • Plan was disrupted by political instability and economic challenges.

Eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-1997) #

1. Objectives

   • Focus on human development and economic reforms.
   • Strengthening the industrial base.

2. Key Policies

   • Economic liberalization, privatization, and globalization (LPG) reforms.
   • Investment in education, health, and family welfare.

3. Impact

   • Significant economic growth and increased foreign investment.
   • Reduction in poverty levels and improvement in human development indicators.
   • Creation of a more competitive and market-oriented economy.

Ninth Five-Year Plan (1997-2002) #

1. Objectives

   • Achieving faster economic growth and poverty reduction.
   • Emphasis on social and infrastructural development.

2. Key Policies

   • Rural development programs and infrastructure projects.
   • Emphasis on education, health, and employment generation.

3. Impact

   • Mixed results with moderate economic growth.
   • Progress in rural development and social services.
   • Challenges in achieving desired levels of employment and poverty reduction.

Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) #

1. Objectives

   • Attaining 8% GDP growth and reducing poverty by 5%.
   • Focus on employment generation and regional balance.

2. Key Policies

   • Development of rural infrastructure and agricultural diversification.
   • Emphasis on education, healthcare, and social security.

3. Impact

   • Achieved high economic growth rates.
   • Reduction in poverty and improvement in social indicators.
   • Challenges in addressing regional disparities and employment generation.

Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2007-2012) #

1. Objectives

   • Faster and more inclusive growth.
   • Enhancing investment in infrastructure, education, and health.

2. Key Policies

   • Implementation of flagship programs like MGNREGA, NRHM, and SSA.
   • Focus on skill development and social security.

3. Impact

   • Significant improvements in infrastructure and human development.
   • Increased employment opportunities and poverty reduction.
   • Challenges in sustaining inclusive growth and addressing inequalities.

Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017) #

1. Objectives

   • Achieving faster, sustainable, and inclusive growth.
   • Focus on employment, education, and health.

2. Key Policies

   • Strengthening social safety nets and inclusive development programs.
   • Emphasis on sustainable development and environmental protection.

3. Impact

   • Continued economic growth and improvements in social indicators.
   • Enhanced focus on sustainable development practices.
   • Persistent challenges in addressing socio-economic inequalities.

Conclusion #

The Five-Year Plans of India played a crucial role in shaping the country’s economic and social landscape. From the initial focus on agriculture and industrialization to the later emphasis on liberalization and inclusive growth, these plans aimed to address the multifaceted challenges of development. While there were notable successes in achieving economic growth and improving human development indicators, persistent issues such as regional disparities, poverty, and inequality required continuous policy adjustments and reforms.

References #

• Government of India, Planning Commission. (1951-2015). Five-Year Plans. Retrieved from https://niti.gov.in/planningcommission.gov.in/docs/plans/planrel/fiveyr/welcome.html
• Chakravarty, S. (1987). Development Planning: The Indian Experience. Oxford University Press.
• Ahluwalia, I. J., & Little, I. M. D. (Eds.). (1998). India’s Economic Reforms and Development: Essays for Manmohan Singh. Oxford University Press.
• Dreze, J., & Sen, A. (2013). An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions. Princeton University Press.
• Roy, T. (2011). India in the World Economy: From Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge University Press.