Planning era: Five-Year Plans (1951–2017)

1. Introduction to Five-Year Plans

1. The Five-Year Plans were introduced post-independence to guide India's economic development.
2. Formulated and monitored by the Planning Commission, established in 1950.
3. Replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015, marking the end of the Five-Year Plan era.

2. Objectives of Five-Year Plans

1. Economic Growth: Focus on increasing GDP and per capita income.
2. Poverty Alleviation: Addressing socio-economic inequalities.
3. Self-Reliance: Reducing dependency on foreign aid and imports.
4. Modernization: Introducing technology and industrial growth.
5. Equity: Balanced regional and social development.

3. Highlights of Key Five-Year Plans

1. First Plan (1951–56): Focused on agriculture, irrigation, and energy. Targeted to address food shortages.
2. Second Plan (1956–61): Emphasized industrialization, following the Mahalanobis model.
3. Third Plan (1961–66): Aimed at self-reliance in agriculture and industry but disrupted by wars and drought.
4. Fourth Plan (1969–74): Focused on growth with stability and poverty reduction.
5. Fifth Plan (1974–79): Aimed at removing poverty (Garibi Hatao) and achieving self-reliance.
6. Sixth Plan (1980–85): Focused on poverty alleviation, technology, and employment generation.
7. Seventh Plan (1985–90): Emphasized modernization, social justice, and export promotion.
8. Eighth Plan (1992–97): Marked the beginning of economic reforms and liberalization.
9. Ninth Plan (1997–2002): Aimed at growth with equity and empowering marginalized sections.
10. Tenth Plan (2002–07): Focused on doubling per capita income and reducing poverty by 2015.
11. Eleventh Plan (2007–12): Targeted inclusive growth, emphasizing health, education, and women’s empowerment.
12. Twelfth Plan (2012–17): Aimed at faster, sustainable, and inclusive growth. It was the final Five-Year Plan.

4. Impact of Five-Year Plans

1. Helped India transition from a colonial economy to a mixed economy.
2. Laid the foundation for industrialization and infrastructure development.
3. Significantly reduced poverty and improved social indicators.
4. Promoted agriculture through the Green Revolution.
5. Enabled economic self-reliance and reduced dependency on foreign aid.

Key Points

1. The Planning Commission was established in 1950 to formulate Five-Year Plans.
2. India's first Five-Year Plan (1951–56) focused on agriculture and irrigation.
3. The Mahalanobis model guided the Second Plan, emphasizing heavy industries.
4. The Green Revolution during the Fourth Plan significantly boosted agricultural production.
5. The Fifth Plan introduced the slogan “Garibi Hatao” (Remove Poverty).
6. The Seventh Plan prioritized modernization and employment generation.
7. The Eighth Plan marked the beginning of liberalization and economic reforms.
8. The Twelfth Plan (2012–17) was the last Five-Year Plan in India.
9. NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015.
10. Five-Year Plans emphasized growth, equity, and modernization.
11. The plans addressed poverty alleviation and social development.
12. The industrial sector was prioritized in the Second and Third Plans.
13. Wars and droughts disrupted the Third and Fourth Plans.
14. The Eighth Plan focused on economic reforms post the 1991 crisis.
15. Five-Year Plans promoted balanced regional development.
16. Significant progress was made in infrastructure during the Seventh Plan.
17. The plans aimed to achieve self-reliance in critical sectors.
18. The Eleventh Plan targeted inclusive growth with an emphasis on social welfare.
19. India’s planning emphasized the mixed economy model, blending public and private sectors.
20. The legacy of Five-Year Plans continues to influence policy-making in India.