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Economic Planning - List of Five Year Plans In India, History & Objectives

The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950.  Subsequently, Planning Commis­sion was set up on 15 March 1950 and the plan era started from 1 April 1951 with the launch­ing of the First Five Year Plan (1951-56).

List of Five Year Plans in India Download PDF Here

This article will keep you updated on the history and objectives of economic planning in India, Five Year Plan in India and the Planning Commission as well as its successor, the NITI Aayog. You can also download the list of Five Year Plans, its objectives, and assessments in the form of PDF.

UPSC exam aspirants must refer to the information given below related to Economic Planning in India.

The topic of the economic planning of India is covered in the general studies section of UPSC and various other competitive exams.

Know the detailed UPSC Syllabus in the linked article. 

Other Related Links:

Economic Planning In India – Five Year Plans

The term economic planning is used to describe the long-term plans of the government of India to develop and coordinate the economy with efficient utilization of resources. Economic planning in India started after independence in the year 1950 when it was deemed necessary for the economic growth and development of the nation.

Long-term objectives of Five Year Plans in India are:

• High Growth rate to improve the living standard of the residents of India.
• Economic stability for prosperity.
• Self-reliant economy.
• Social justice and reducing the inequalities.
• Modernization of the economy.

The idea of economic planning for five years was taken from the Soviet Union under the socialist influence of first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.

The first eight five year plans in India emphasised on growing the public sector with huge investments in heavy and basic industries, but since the launch of the Ninth five year plan in 1997, attention has shifted towards making the government a growth facilitator.

An overview of all Five Year Plans implemented in India is highlighted below:

Objectives of Economic Planning in India

The following were the original objectives of economic planning in India:

• Economic Development: This is the main objective of planning in India. Economic Development of India is measured by the increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India and Per Capita Income
• Increased Levels of Employment: An important aim of economic planning in India is to better utilise the available human resources of the country by increasing employment levels.
• Self-Sufficiency: India aims to be self-sufficient in major commodities and also increase exports through economic planning. The Indian economy had reached the take-off stage of development during the third five-year plan in 1961-66.
• Economic Stability: Economic planning in India also aims at stable market conditions in addition to the economic growth of India. This means keeping inflation low while also making sure that deflation in prices does not happen. If the wholesale price index rises very high or very low, structural defects in the economy are created and economic planning aims to avoid this.
• Social Welfare and Provision of Efficient Social Services: The objectives of all the five year plans as well as plans suggested by the NITI Aayog aim to increase labour welfare, social welfare for all sections of the society. Development of social services in India, such as education, healthcare and emergency services have been part of planning in India.
• Regional Development: Economic planning in India aims to reduce regional disparities in development. For example, some states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are relatively well-developed economically while states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and Nagaland are economically backward. Others like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have uneven development with world-class economic centres in cities and a relatively less developed hinterland. Planning in India aims to study these disparities and suggest strategies to reduce them.
• Comprehensive and Sustainable Development: The development of all economic sectors such as agriculture, industry, and services is one of the major objectives of economic planning.
• Reduction in Economic Inequality: Measures to reduce inequality through progressive taxation, employment generation and reservation of jobs have been a central objective of Indian economic planning since independence.
• Social Justice: This objective of planning is related to all the other objectives and has been a central focus of planning in India. It aims to reduce the population of people living below the poverty line and provide them access to employment and social services.
• Increased Standard of Living: Increasing the standard of living by increasing the per capita income and equal distribution of income is one of the main aims of India’s economic planning.

History of Economic Planning In India

Economic planning in India dates back to pre-Independence period when leaders of the freedom movement and prominent industrialists and academics got together to discuss the future of India after Independence which was soon to come. Noted civil engineer and administrator M. Visvesvaraya is regarded as a pioneer of economic planning in India. His book “Planned Economy for India” published in 1934 suggested a ten year plan, with an outlay of Rs. 1000 crore and a planned increase of 600% in industrial output per annum based on economic conditions of the time.

The Industrial Policy Statement published just after independence in 1948 recommended setting up of a Planning Commission and following a mixed economic model. Here are the major milestones related to economic planning in India:

• Setting up of the Planning Commission: 15 March 1950
• First Five Year Plan: 9 July 1951
• Dissolution of the Planning Commission: 17 August 2014
• Setting up of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog: 1 January 2015

Setting up the NITI Aayog was a major step away from the command economy structure adopted by India till 1991. The Planning Commission’s top-down model of development had become redundant due to present economic conditions and NITI Aayog approaches economic planning in a consultative manner with input from various state governments and think tanks.

While preparing for the UPSC Exam, Economic Planning should be approached in a systematic manner. The major achievements of economic planning in India remain an important part of the UPSC Syllabus . The strategy of economic planning in India under the Planning Commission as well as the NITI Aayog are important as well. As a rule, IAS aspirants should focus on:

• Objectives of Economic Planning In India
• Major Achievements of Economic Planning in India
• The Planning Commission and Five Year Plans
• NITI Aayog Action Agenda and Annual Reports
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Economic Reforms in India and Various Government Programmes
• Current Affairs related to all of the topics mentioned above

Solving the previous year’s UPSC Question Papers is a good way to revise the preparation done for this topic as the Indian Economy and issues relating to planning are a permanent fixture of Mains General Studies Paper III. UPSC 2024 may also draw on some aspects of planning done by state governments.

To practice questions on Indian Economy for UPSC Prelims, please check out:

Frequently Asked Question On Economic Planning in India

Q. what is meant by economic planning, q. what is the main aim of economic planning in india, q. when did economic planning started in india, q. what is history of economic planning in india, q. what are the features of economic planning in india.

Few Features of Economic Planning in India are:

• Definite Objective:
• Central Planning Authority:
• Democratic Character:
• Only an Advisory Role of Planning Commission:
• Comprehensiveness:
• Planning for Consumption

Q. Who plays major role in economic planning in India?

Q. who is the father of indian economy, q. who presented the first five year plan in india, q. what are the major failure of economic planning in india, q. how many types of economic planning are there, q. which was the last five year plan in india, q. which plan is called rolling plan, q. who is the father of five years plan.

To learn about the best strategy to be followed that can help in guiding through the exam preparation, candidates can refer to the  IAS toppers list and check out their success stories.

For the latest exam updates, study material and preparation tips, visit BYJU’S.

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Five Year Plans of India List, Objectives and Achievements

Five-Year Plans of India were a series of economic & social development initiatives launched by the Indian government. Check List of Five Year Plans of India its Objectives & Achievements for UPSC.

Table of Contents

Five Year Plans of India

The Five-Year Plans were a series of national economic development plans implemented by the Indian government to promote industrialization and economic growth. They were first introduced in India in 1951, shortly after India gained independence from British colonial rule, and continued until 2017.

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Objectives of Five Year Plans of India

The Five-Year Plans of India was a series of economic and social development initiatives launched by the Government of India to promote economic growth, social welfare, poverty reduction, regional balance and self-reliance in a planned and systematic manner.

Key Features of Five Year Plans of India

Here are some key features of the Five-Year Plans in India:

• Goals: Each Five-Year Plan had specific goals and objectives that were designed to promote economic growth and development in different sectors, such as agriculture, industry, infrastructure, and social welfare.
• Planning Commission: The Planning Commission of India was responsible for formulating the Five-Year Plans. The Commission would assess the current state of the economy, identify areas that needed improvement, and set targets for the next five years.
• Implementation: The implementation of the Five-Year Plans was carried out through various government departments and agencies at the national, state, and local levels.
• Funding: The funds required for implementing the Five-Year Plans were sourced from the government’s budget, loans from international organizations, and private investments.
• Results: Over the years, the Five-Year Plans helped India achieve significant progress in various sectors, such as agriculture, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. However, some plans were more successful than others, and there were also instances of corruption and inefficiencies in implementation.

Current Status of Five Year Plans of India

The Government of India stopped the Five-Year Plans after the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017) and replaced them with a new think tank body called the Niti Aayog, which focuses on sustainable development goals and long-term planning.

List of Five Year Plans of India

Here is a complete list of Five Year Plans of India along with the Time Period and its Salient Features:

Five-Year Plans of India Brief Analysis

The Five-Year Plans of India, spanning from 1951 to 2017, were instrumental in steering the country’s economic development and growth. The early plans, such as the First and Second, laid the groundwork for industrialization and agriculture.

The Green Revolution was initiated during the Third Plan, leading to increased food production. Subsequent plans addressed social justice, poverty alleviation, and human resource development. The Eighth Plan marked the beginning of economic liberalization, opening up the economy to foreign investment. The Tenth and Eleventh Plans emphasized inclusive growth, rural development, and social sectors. The Twelfth Plan focused on sustainable development, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

Post-2017, India shifted away from the traditional Five-Year Plan model, with the NITI Aayog taking charge of development strategies. Challenges ranged from financial constraints to regional imbalances and global economic uncertainties. Despite challenges, the plans achieved successes in infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, and technological advancements, shaping India’s economic and social landscape.

Five Year Plans of India UPSC

The Five-Year Plans of India is a crucial topic for UPSC aspirants because they form an important part of the Indian economy and polity. This topic is specifically mentioned in the UPSC Syllabus under General Studies paper III, which deals with the Indian economy, planning, and development. Aspirants who are preparing for UPSC exams need to have a clear understanding of the Five-Year Plans and their salient features to answer questions related to economic planning and development in India.

Moreover, online coaching and mock tests for UPSC exams often cover this topic in detail and provide aspirants with a comprehensive understanding of the Five-Year Plans and their importance in the Indian economy. Aspirants can benefit from UPSC Online Coaching by attending lectures, participating in discussions, and accessing study materials related to the Five-Year Plans. Similarly, the UPSC Mock Test can help aspirants assess their knowledge of this topic and identify areas that need further study.

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Five Year Plans of India FAQs

What is the five-year plan.

The five-year plan is a centralized economic plan that sets targets for industrial and agricultural production over a five-year period.

How many 5 year plans are there in India?

There were 12 five-year plans in India, starting from 1951 and ending in 2017.

What are the main goals of five-year plan?

The main goals of the five-year plans in India were to achieve rapid industrialization, increase agricultural production, reduce poverty and unemployment, and promote social welfare.

Who started 5 year plan in India?

The 5 year plan in India was started by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1951.

Who is the father of 2nd five-year plan?

The father of the second five-year plan in India was P.C. Mahalanobis, an Indian scientist and statistician who played a key role in the planning process.

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Home » Economy » Planning in India » Genesis of Planning Commission and its objectives » Growth of Indian economy under the various-five year plans of the Planning commission

Growth of Indian economy under the various-five year plans of the Planning commission

First Five Year Plan:

• It was launched for the duration of 1951 to 1956,under the leadership ofJawaharlal Nehru.
• It was based on the Harrod-Domar model with a few modifications.
• Its main focus was on the agricultural development of the country.
• This plan was successful and achieveda growth rate of 3.6% (more than its target of 2.1%).
• At the end of this plan, five IITs were set up in the country

Second Five Year plan

• It was made for the duration of 1956 to 1961,under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.
• It was based on the P.C. Mahalanobis Model made in the year 1953.
• Its main focus was on the industrial development of the country.
• This plan lags behind its target growth rate of 4.5% and achieved a growth rate of 4.27%.
• However, this plan was criticized by many experts and as a result, India faced a payment crisis in the year 1957.

Third Five Year Plan:

• It was made for the duration of 1961 to 1966, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.
• This plan is also called ‘Gadgil Yojna’, after the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission D.R. Gadgil.
• The main target of this plan was to make the economy independent. The stress was laid on agriculture and the improvement in the production of wheat.
• During the execution of this plan, India was engaged in two wars: (1) the Sino-India war of 1962 and (2) the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. These wars exposed the weakness in our economy and shifted the focus to the defence industry, the Indian Army, and the stabilization of the price (India witnessed inflation).
• The plan was a flop due to wars and drought. The target growth was 5.6% while the achieved growth was 2.4%.

Plan Holidays:

• Due to the failure of the previous plan, the government announced three annual plans called Plan Holidays from 1966 to 1969.
• The main reason behind the plan holidays was the Indo-Pakistani war and the Sino-India war, leading to the failure of the third Five Year Plan.
• During this plan, annual plans were made and equal priority was given to agriculture its allied sectors and the industry sector.
• In a bid to increase the exports in the country, the government declared devaluation of the rupee.

Fourth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 1969 to 1974, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.
• There were two main objectives of this plan i.e. growth with stability and progressive achievement of self-reliance.
• During this time, 14 major Indian banks were nationalized and the Green Revolution was started. Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the Bangladesh Liberation War took place.
• Implementation of Family Planning Programmes was amongst major targets of the Plan
• his plan failed and could achieve a growth rate of 3.3% only against the target of 5.7%.

Fifth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was 1974 to 1978.
• This plan focussed on Garibi Hatao, employment, justice, agricultural production and defence.
• The Electricity Supply Act was amended in 1975, a Twenty-point program was launched in 1975, the Minimum Needs Programme (MNP) and the Indian National Highway System was introduced.
• Overall this plan was successful which achieved a growth of 4.8% against the target of 4.4%.
• This plan was terminated in 1978 by the newly elected Moraji Desai government.

Rolling Plan:

• After the termination of the fifth Five Year Plan,  the Rolling Plan came into effect from 1978 to 1990.
• In 1980, Congress rejected the Rolling Plan and a new sixth Five Year Plan was introduced.
• Three plans were introduced under the Rolling plan: (1) For the budget of the present year (2) this plan was for a fixed number of years– 3,4 or 5 (3) Perspective plan for long terms– 10, 15 or 20 years.
• The plan has several advantages as the targets could be mended and projects, allocations, etc. were variable to the country’s economy. This means that if the targets can be amended each year, it would be difficult to achieve the targets and will result in destabilization in the Indian economy.

Sixth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 1980 to 1985, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi . 
• The basic objective of this plan was economic liberalization by eradicating poverty and achieving technological self-reliance.
• It was based on investment Yojna, infrastructural changing, and trend to the growth model.
• Its growth target was 5.2% but it achieved a 5.7% growth.

Seventh Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 1985 to 1990, under the leadership ofRajiv Gandhi.
• The objectives of this plan include the establishment of a self-sufficient economy, opportunities for productive employment, and up-gradation of technology.
• The Plan aimed at accelerating food grain production, increasing employment opportunities & raising productivity with a focus on ‘food, work & productivity
• For the first time, the private sector got priority over the public sector.
• Its growth target was 5.0% but it achieved 6.01%.

Annual Plans:

• Eighth Five Year Plan could not take place due to the volatile political situation at the centre.
• Two annual programmes were formed for the year 1990-91& 1991-92.

Eighth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 1992 to 1997, under the leadership ofV. Narasimha Rao.
• In this plan, the top priority was given to the development of human resources i.e. employment, education, and public health.
• During this plan, Narasimha Rao Govt. launched the New Economic Policy of India.
• Some of the main economic outcomes during the eighth plan period were rapid economic growth (highest annual growth rate so far – 6.8 %), high growth of agriculture and allied sector, and manufacturing sector, growth in exports and imports, improvement in trade and current account deficit. A high growth rate was achieved even though the share of the public sector in total investment had declined considerably to about 34 %
• This plan was successful and got an annual growth rate of 6.8% against the target of 5.6%.

Ninth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 1997 to 2002, under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• The main focus of this plan was “Growth with Social Justice and Equality”.
• It was launched in the 50th year of independence of India.
• This plan failed to achieve the growth target of 6.5% and achieved a growth rate of 5.6%.

Tenth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from2002 to 2007, under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
• This plan aimed to double the Per Capita Income of India in the next 10 years.
• It also aimed to reduce the poverty ratio to 15% by 2012.
• Its growth target was 8.0% but it achieved only 7.6%.

Eleventh Five Year Plan:

• Its duration was from 2007 to 2012, under the leadership of Manmohan Singh.
• It was prepared by the C. Rangarajan.
• Its main theme was “rapid and more inclusive growth”.
• It achieved a growth rate of 8% against a target of 9% growth.

Twelfth Five Year Plan:

• Its duration is from 2012 to 2017, under the leadership of Manmohan Singh . 
• Its main theme is “Faster, More Inclusive and Sustainable Growth”.
• Its growth rate target was 8%.
• For a long time, there had been a feeling that for a country as diverse and big as India, centralised planning could not work beyond a point due to its one-size-fits-all approach. Therefore, the NDA government has dissolved the Planning Commission which was replaced by the NITI Aayog. Thus, there was no thirteen Five Year Plan, however, the five-year defense plan was made. It is important to note that the documents of the NITI Aayog have no financial role. They are only policy guide maps for the government.

The three-year action plan only provides a broad roadmap to the government and does not outline any schemes or allocations as it has no financial powers. Since it doesn’t require approval by the Union Cabinet, its recommendations are not binding on the government.

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• Five Year Plan

After India gained independence in 1947 it basically had to rebuild its economy from scratch. The leaders of those times had to pick the type of economy India would be and also outline the economic planning as well. This is where the five year plan was born. Let us study a bit more about them.

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Indian economy after independence.

In the post-independence era, the leaders of the country had some precarious decisions to take. One of them was which type of economic model would India follow? In those times there were two models followed by most countries in the world – capitalist economy and socialist economy.

Our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru preferred the socialist model. But in a democracy like India, a pure socialist economy can not flourish. Capitalism was also not suited since the government had to build up an economy and look after the common man and his needs. So as a solution our economy combined aspects of both socialism and capitalism.

It was decided India would develop a strong socialist society, where the public sector would take care of its citizens. But the government would also promote and encourage a strong private sector for the future. There would be no prohibition on private property or wealth keeping our democracy in mind.

An economic plan allocates the resources of a nation to fulfil the general and specific goals as planned by the government for a specified period. In India, these plans are made for five years and hence are known as five year plans. These five year plans are ultimately a short-term plan for a perspective plan. A perspective plan outlines the long-term goals of a nation, spanning twenty years.

In India, after the independence, the government set up a Planning Commision in 1950. This commission would be responsible for framing and implementing the five year plans of the country. They began their efforts with the first five year plan in 1950.

The Goals of the Five Year Plans

Every five year plan is developed with a specific goal in mind. But there is never one solitary objective of the plan. The plan is supposed to work towards the perspective plan and must cover a few important objectives. However, it is not possible or practical to give equal importance to all aspects of a plan.

There are basically five generalized goals of a five year plan, wherein a particular plan one or two are given the most importance. In fact, some of the goals are actually conflicting. So let us now look at these five types of goals we cover in the five year plans.

This is the first and the most basic goal of an economic plan. Growth in terms of an economy focuses on the increase of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. GDP is a way to measure the growth of an economy. Higher the GDP more the common public can benefit from the economic policies of the country.

This economic growth actually happens due to an increase in the production capacity of a nation for either its goods or its services. This can be due to an influx of capital into the economy as well. The sector in which the growth is happening is also important. There are three basic sectors – agricultural, industrial and service . Their respective contributions make up the structural composition of the GDP.

For very many years India’s primary focus was the agricultural sector. It was the main contributor to our GDP. And it also saw the highest growth rate in the few initial five year plans.

Modernisation 

Modernisation refers to the integration of technology in the economy. Innovation, inventions, and advancement in technology play a huge part in upgrading our economy and increasing its output. One example would be the introduction of modern agricultural techniques which increased output. Over the years, the Indian economy also saw a major boom in the IT industry due to modernization.

Another aspect of modernization would be our advancement as a society. Leaving behind discriminatory practices and pushing towards an equal, fair and modern society.

Self Reliance

A new economy like India’s post-independence can become too reliant on imports. So for seven editions of the five year plan, the government promoted self-reliance. This basically meant that anything we were capable of producing domestically we did not import.

Especially food and agricultural products were never imported as long as possible. This was to ensure we not only became self-reliant but also to protect our sovereignty. Because importing basic essentials from other nations would make us dependent on them. Then after 1991, the government finally opened up our economy to the global markets once we had already established a domestic base.

Now the previous three goals mainly relate to the economy. But the development of the economy only is not sufficient. The five year plans must also focus on the development of our society. It is essential to ensure that these benefits from the economy are enjoyed by all members of the society. This is where equity comes in.

Equity focuses on ensuring that all citizens of our country have their basic needs for food, housing, clothing etc fulfilled. It also looks to reduce the wealth gap and the inequality in our society.

Solved Question for You

Q: In which year was the first five year plan passed?

Ans: The correct option is D. India became independent in 1947 but our first economic plan came out in 1951 under the guidance of the PM and chairman of the Planning Commision Jawarhalal Nehru.

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Indian Economy (1950-1990)

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Five Year Plans of India (Summary): Objectives, Achievements, Failures

Five Year Plans in India: Preparing for our future through planning is a crucial landmark whether at a personal level or national level. The social life of a person always depends on various planning schemes. Social and economic planning gives a way to policymakers to improve prevailing conditions in a society. This process is incomplete if there are no positive outcomes. A major part of such planning relies on FIVE YEAR PLANS.

Who is called the father of Indian planning? Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya

Socio-economic scenario after Independence :

After independence, India faced many social, political and economic disrupts. India’s agriculture sector during independence was so backward. The level of productivity was extremely low with high vulnerability. Features like the Zamindari System , low self-consumption from agriculture gains led to the slow down of the economy. On the other side, our industries were also facing vulnerability and discrimination. The demographic profile of population was so unbalanced. There were situations like low birth rate, high death rate low rate of literacy, high infant mortality rate and so on. Other factors like social and economic infrastructure deficiency, corruption in politics, unemployment, and poverty were powerful.

Idea Economic Planning :

Problems of macro-level are never solved with automatic demand and supply forces. The intervention of government with various policies, programs, and schemes is obviously crucial for society. After independence, there was a need for proper economic planning to promote growth and development. Economic Planning was a step taken by the Indian Government to plan the utilization of resources to achieve a well-defined target in a specific period. The concept was adopted from Russia (USSR).

Objectives:

While talking about the goals of economic planning, we can divide these goals on a time period basis.

Certain goals to be accomplished in the Long time period are GDP Growth, the maximum level of employment, equal distribution of resources, promotion of equitable distribution to uplift poor section, make people self-sufficient and of course modernization. While in short period gains we can include things like price stability, education promotion, better health care and so on.

These plans are developed and executed by NITI Aayog (known as planning commission before 2015) and then approved by National Development Council (NDC). In 1951 we started the Five Year Planning system.

• First Five Year Plan (1951 – 1956 ):

The priority was set for agricultural development. It took reference from the Harrod – Domar model . After partition and World War II the situation of food production declined drastically. This plan stands to gain high agricultural produce, proper utilization of raw materials and provide irrigation and other necessary amenities. The target is to decrease the income gap between different sections of society and to make our country self-sufficient. Target was also set for controlling inflation. The plan achieved every possible thing beyond targets. The target for national income growth was set as 11% and it got 18 % increase. Agriculture, industries, education, railways, etc. were improving at a great pace.

• Second Five Year Plan (1956 – 1961):

The great contribution to this was given by P.C. Mahalanobis model. It was also known as the “Industry and Transport plan”. The main focus was industrial development. Heavy industries were also taken into account with various small and medium-sized industries. People got employment opportunities and ways to income generation. The target for the annual growth rate was 5%. The main significance was that it promoted labor-intensive factories.

• Third Five Year Plan (1961- 1966):

The major contribution from this phase was for long term developments. The plan is called Gadgil Yojana . Independence of the economy was a major basis because it will help in self-sufficiency for many sectors. Although, the decided target of 5.6% was not achieved because of the China War. Sectors like industries, communication, and social services were improved with targets. There was a fall in agriculture production and clashes between the centre and state governments. The prices of agricultural products and consumer articles were at a peak.

Period of three annual plans (1966 – 1969)

Now instead of 5-year plans, a three year period was meant to implement 3 annual plans. It is also called plan holidays. This period was generally come due to the ongoing Indo Pakistan War. This led to a decrease in the country’s resource utilization. The major reason was the failed third five-year plan.

• Fourth Five Year Plan (1969 – 1974 ):

Country was fighting with several social issues like poverty, increased unemployment, population explosion, economic recession, etc. The Indira government was formed and implemented this plan in 1969. The advancement of agriculture began with the Green Revolution and 14 Indian banks were nationalized. Family Planning Programmes were implemented. However, due to prevailing situations plan remained incomplete and achieved only 3.3% on the place of 5.6%. The big failure of this time is considered price instability

• Fifth Five Year Plan ( 1974 – 1979):

In a chronological manner, priority was given to agriculture, industries, and mines. Minimum Needs Programme (MNP) was started to uplift standards of living and to fulfill minimum basic needs of the masses. This plan was suggested by D.P. Dhar . The expansion of roads and tourism activities worked took place simultaneously. Garibi Hatao got promoted with poverty alleviation schemes and India stepped toward Self-reliance and economical growth. The emergency was imposed and emphasis was given to PM 20 Point Programme. A growth of 4.8% was achieved that was more than targeted.

Rolling Plan (1978 – 1980)

In contrast to Nehru Model, Janta Government put forward a plan of more employment emphasis. It criticized many prevailed plans and took inequalities and poverty as real social issues. However, its tenure ended after 2 years and the new government came up with a new five-year plan.

• Sixth Plan Year Plan (1980 – 1985):

This period faced social unrest like famine during 1984 ­– 85 but successful in achieving almost every target. The major focus was an increase in national income, adoption of modern technology, a decrease in poverty-ridden areas, control population expansion and many more. Infrastructural changes also happened and helped in approaching growth strategies.

• Seventh Five Year Plan (1985 – 1990 ):

Till now this was the plan that resulted in a maximum growing rate with 6%. Like other plans, previous targets like food, employment and so on were there but now work and productivity also got higher concentration by the government. For the first time, the private sector was suppressing the public sector. Although for the middle and lower class it was not any kind of benefit. This could result in exploitation in the future.

Annual Plans (1990 – 1992)

The situation was so politically unstable and Eighth Five Year Plan was postponed for 2 years.

• Eighth Five Year Plan(1992 – 1997):

The reasons for the launch of this plan were fiscal and budgetary impediments. The phase faced recessionary dilemmas with budget deficits. Many economic reforms assisted the Indian economy and reforms like liberalization and changing modes of production for agriculture were implemented. Higher growth was achieved with more private investment. The role of the public sector had declined due to Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization reforms. Priority was given to Human Resource Development in sectors like education, health care facilities, etc.

• Ninth Five Year Plan (1997 – 2002):

Social Justice and Equality were featuring development aims in this plan. Foreign Direct Investment flourished with more trade with the rest of the world. At this moment 50 years of independence were completed. The social sector was especially taken care of with provisions like basic social and economic reforms including education, community development programs, and health.

• Tenth Five Year Plan (2002 – 2007):

It was an important landmark because it took social deformities into account apart from economic growth. Demographic Profile factors were modified without discrimination. Clean drinking water, low gender gaps, equal wage pay, low death rates, controlled infant mortality rate were certain determinants. The sociological perspective was largely elevated with population policy and family planning State roles were increased and the policy of decentralized planning was promoted.

• Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007 – 2012):

Inclusiveness in every growth is a key to decide that its result reaches ground levels. The main motto of the 11 th five-year plan was more inclusive economic growth. C. Rangarajan was its framer. But minorities and tribal communities were not a sufficiently inclusive framework. Malnutrition, poverty, and vulnerability were increasing. However, opportunities like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) were also implemented. There were so many fluctuations in economic gains and poverty remained high. Formulas like Tendulkar Formula were criticized due to no effect in poverty reduction.

• Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012 – 2017):

During the commencement of 12 th Five Year Plan, the global economy was facing another slowdown. Even our economy slowed down as a result. Therefore, the emphasis was to encourage economic growth rate with faster, sustainable and inclusive growth . Social problems were rightly addressed like malnutrition, environment degradation, education, health, communication, etc. With this phase, prevailing gender gaps, inequalities, regional imbalances, and community gaps were getting attention. The policy held the accountability to remove every lacuna from making India as an emerging world power. It had many long and short term aims.

Some Achievements of Planning:

Our nation achieved a lot from these plans and this took a very long time to cover real issues. The actual increase in national income is seen to date. At the beginning of new India after independence, India had less than 2% of income per annum. Per capita income also went up. GDP growth was a result of capital formation that triggered while planning periods. Employment was increased and many income generation programs became successful. The major contribution was the improvement in social infrastructure and it helped in solving real ground level problems. Facilities like banking, communication, hospitals, irrigation and so on superseded every other achievement.

Failures of Planning :

Alleviation of poverty was the central theme of almost all plans. But when we take a look it is not cured as it should have been. Inflation rates were touching the sky with the unemployment spiral. The ethical goal of planning was the equitable distribution of social and economic benefits. But the gap always gets widen between classes. Desired results to tackle inequalities were received yet. Infrastructural problems were making people vulnerable and excluded.

Conclusion:

Democratic regimes are known to hold values like equality, liberty, and fraternity. It needs various weapons to shape such norms and values. Planning is playing a very crucial role because without planning it is not possible to include everyone’s welfare policies and programs. Broadly we can divide this whole era into two phases that are before liberalization and after liberalization. Many lacunas are still prevailing because population explosion always results in a lack of proper implementation. Some new issues like rape are emerging with modern time and it is a time to tackle and eradicated them.

References:

Class 11 th Book Indian Economic Development by TR Jain AND VK Ohri

https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-all-five-year-plans-of-india-1468309723-1

http://mospi.nic.in

A drop of ink may make millions think. With this spirit, I chose to write for my passion. I am a student studying BA Programme at Miranda House, DU. My core areas are Economics and Political Science. My interests are reading and writing in various fields especially geopolitical issues, International Relations, Social Issues, etc. I will go for UPSC to administer people using my skills and aptitudes. Writing always elevates our creativity and imagination power.

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