The planning process has to take special care of those areas which have remained economically backward. As you know, the economic development of a region depends upon its resource base. But sometimes resource-rich regions also remain backward. Economic development requires technology, as well as, investment besides resources. With the planning experience of about one-and-a-half decades, it was realised that regional imbalances in economic development were getting accentuated. In order to arrest the accentuation of regional and social disparties, the Planning Commission introduced the ‘target area’ and target group approaches to planning. Some examples of programmes directed towards the development of target areas are Command Area Development Programme, Drought Prone Area Development Programme, Desert Development Programme, and Hill Area Development Programme. The Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA) and Marginal Farmers Development Agency (MFDA) are examples of target group programmes.

What was the objective of the Drought Prone Area Programme launched in the fourth five-year plan?

To provide employment to the people in drought-prone areas and create productive assets.

Drought Prone Area Programme:

This programme was initiated during the Fourth Five Year Plan with the objectives of providing employment to the people in drought-prone areas and creating productive assets. Initially, this programme laid emphasis on the construction of labour-intensive civil works. But later on, it emphasised irrigation projects, land development programmes, afforestation, grassland development and the creation of basic rural infrastructure, such as electricity, roads, market, credit and services.