The economist who proposed an alternative blueprint that put greater emphasis on rural industrialization was:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → J. C Kumarappa
Gandhian economists like J. C. Kumarappa proposed an alternative blueprint that put greater emphasis on rural industrialisation, against the Second Plan’s stress on heavy industry.
Note 1: The section ‘Key Controversies’ of the chapter ‘Politics of Planned Development’, which gave the debate on agriculture versus industry and J. C. Kumarappa’s alternative blueprint, was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT; this portion has been deleted from subsequent editions of NCERT, including the NCERT book (2026-27), though the chapter is still there.
Note 2: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| – | 16-05 S1* | – | 02-06 S1 16-06 S2* | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “Agriculture versus industry … We have already touched upon a big question: between agriculture and industry, which one should attract more public resources in a backward economy like that of India? Many thought that the Second Plan lacked an agrarian strategy for development, and the emphasis on industry caused agriculture and rural India to suffer. Gandhian economists like J. C. Kumarappa proposed an alternative blueprint that put greater emphasis on rural industrialisation.…” |