One objective of planning in India since Independence has been to provide decent livelihood to its people. Which option gives how planners expected to reach this and what NCERT reports after about 70 years of planning?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Industry would draw surplus workers from agriculture; still, a large part of the workforce depends on farming
Planners expected industrialisation to bring surplus workers from agriculture to industry, with a better standard of living. Yet even now a large part of the workforce, about 46 per cent, works in the primary sector.
Option (1) Industry would draw surplus workers from agriculture; formal jobs now cover most of the workforce — Incorrect. About 89 per cent of workers are still informal.
Option (2) Industry would draw surplus workers from agriculture; most workers are now regular employees in factories — Incorrect. Regular salaried employees are only about 22 per cent; self-employment is still the largest group.
Option (3) Agriculture would be modernised to employ more people; the farm share of the workforce has risen — Incorrect. Planning aimed to reduce dependence on farming, and the farm share has fallen.
Option (4) Industry would draw surplus workers from agriculture; still, a large part of the workforce depends on farming — Correct. Industry was to absorb farm workers, yet about 46 per cent still work in the primary sector.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.7 Informalisation of Indian Workforce … One of the objectives of development planning in India, since India’s independence, has been to provide decent livelihood to its people. It has been envisaged that the industrialisation strategy would bring surplus workers from agriculture to industry with better standard of living as in developed countries. …” “6.6 Growth and Changing Structure of Employment … In 1972-73, about 74 per cent of workforce was engaged in primary sector and in 2023-24, this proportion has declined to about 46 per cent. …” |