Assertion: Growth, modernisation and self-reliance by themselves will improve the kind of life which people are living.

Reasoning: It is important to ensure that the benefits of economic prosperity reach the poor sections as well instead of being enjoyed only by the rich.

Assertion (A) is not true but Reasoning (R) is correct.

The correct answer is option 4: Assertion (A) is not true but Reasoning (R) is correct.

Assertion: Growth, modernisation and self-reliance by themselves will improve the kind of life which people are living. This is incorrect. Growth, modernisation, and self-reliance alone do not guarantee improvement in people's quality of life, because the benefits of growth may not be distributed equally. A country can have a high GDP growth rate (Growth) and advanced technology (Modernization), but if the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, the standard of living for the general population remains unchanged or may even decline.

Reasoning: It is important to ensure that the benefits of economic prosperity reach the poor sections as well instead of being enjoyed only by the rich. This is correct. It rightly states that economic prosperity must reach poorer sections and not remain concentrated among the rich. This refers to the fourth major goal of planning-Equity.Without equity, the other three goals (Growth, Modernization, Self-reliance) fail to achieve the ultimate objective of inclusive social welfare.

NCERT: Growth, modernisation and self-reliance, by themselves, may not improve the kind of life which people are living. A country can have high growth, the most modern technology developed in the country itself, and also have most of its people living in poverty. It is important to ensure that the benefits of economic prosperity reach the poor sections as well instead of being enjoyed only by the rich. So, in addition to growth, modernisation and self-reliance, equity is also important."