Draft Five Year Plan 1978-83 and Annual Plan 1979-80 (Vol. I - General Review)

Abstract

From Preface: Ever since planning started in India, there has been a lot of debate on whether a growth-oriented strategy assuming the trickling down of some benefits to the poor or a strategy aimed primarily at the removal of poverty and unemployment should be adopted. Earlier plans have attempted compromises between these two approaches but results have shown that unless adequate resources are specifically quantified and earmarked for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the Backward Classes and other disadvantaged sections and the machinery for development is made specially responsible for delivering various services and facilities to them, practically all the benefits are appropriated by the richer and better organised sections of the community. Consequently, over the last five Five-Year P!ans, the gap between the rich and the poor has been widening in an alarming manner. Taking cognizance of this unsatisfactory trend, we have decided to formulate the Five-Year Plan for 1978—83 with primary objective of ameliorating the lot of the poor and reducing disparities between various areas and sections of the population.