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Politics of Planned Development
Question
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Make an assessment of the outcomes of the early phase of planned development in India.

Answer

The outcome of the early phase of planned development are assessed below :

(i) Foundations : It laid the foundations of India’s economic growth by undertaking the largest developmental projects such as mega dam like Bhakhra-Nangal and Hirakud for irrigation and power generation. Heavy industries–steel plants and oil refineries– manufaturing unit and defense production were started. Infrastructure for transport and communication improved substantially.

(ii) Land reforms : The system of zamindari was abolished and it reduced the capacity of the landlords to dominate politics. Similarly the tenants were given greater legal security against eviction, but this provision was rarely implemented. 

(iii)Green Revolution :Goverment’s policy to put more resources on areas already having irrigation facilities and on well off farmers, led to green revolution. Some regions like Punjab, Haryana and Western UP became agriculturally prosperous, while others remained backward.

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Some More Questions From Politics of Planned Development Chapter

The idea of planning in India was drawn from

(a) the Bombay plan (c) experiences of the Soviet bloc countries

(b) Gandhian vision of society (d) Demand by peasant organisations

Match the following:

What were the major differences in the approach towards development at the time of Independence ? Has the debate been resolved ?

What was the major thrust of the First Five Year Plan ? In which ways did the Second Plan differ from the first one?

What was the Green Revolution ? Mention two positive and two negative consequences of the Green Revolution.

State the main arguments in the debate that ensued between industrialisation and agricultural development at the time of the Second Five Year Plan.

“Indian policy makers made a mistake by emphasising the role of state in the economy. India could have developed much better if private sector was allowed a free play right from the beginning”. Give arguments for or against thisproposition.

Read the following passage and answer the questions below:

“In the early years of Independence, two contradictory tendencies were already well advanced inside the Congress party. On the one hand, the national party executive endorsed socialist principles of state ownership, regulat ion and control over key sectors of the economy in order to improve productivity and at the same time curb economic concentration. On the other hand, the national Congress government pursued liberal economic policies and incentives to private investment that was justified in terms of the sole criterion of achieving maximum increase in production. ” — Francine Frankel

(a) What is the contradiction that the author is talking about ? What would be the political implications of a contradiction like this ?

(b) If the author is correct, why is it that the Congress was pursuing this policy ? Was it related to the nature of the opposition parties ?

(c) Was there also a contradiction between the central leadership of the Congress party and its State level leaders ?

Why did the Orissa government sign Memorandum of Understanding with both international and domestic steel makers ?

What was the fear of the environmentalists about setting up of POSCO plant in Orissa ?