The draft of the First Five-Year Plan and then the actual Plan Document, released in December 1951, generated a lot of excitement in the country.
The First Five-Year plan focussed on the primary sector and investment in dams and agriculture.
The Second Five-Year Plan emphasized the creation of heavy industries.
The excitement lasted until the Third Five-Year Plan was launched in 1961.
The Third Plan was not significantly different from the Second, leading critics to point out an "urban bias" in plan strategies.
The Fourth Five-Year Plan was due to start in 1966, by this time, the uniqueness of planning had reduced substantially, moreover, India was facing an acute economic crisis because of the wars with China & Pakistan.
The government decided to take a ‘plan holiday’ in 1966. Three annual plans were drawn from the period 1966-69.
The fourth FYP was implemented in 1969.
Till now India has completed 12 Five Year Plans (12th was from 2012-17). |
