In the context of India’s Five-Year Plans, a shift in the pattern of industrialization, with lower emphasis on heavy industries and more on infrastructure, begins in which one of the following plans?
- Fourth Plan
- Sixth Plan
- Eighth Plan
- Tenth Plan
Explanation
Option (b) is correct
- While the early Five-Year Plans (specifically the Second and Third) were heavily influenced by the Mahalanobis model, which prioritized heavy, basic industries like steel and machine-making—the Sixth Plan marked a strategic turning point.
Why the Sixth Plan?
- Shift in Focus: This plan began to move away from the rigid “heavy industry first” approach. It placed a significantly higher emphasis on infrastructure, particularly energy (power), transport, and communication, to support overall economic growth.
- Economic Liberalisation: It marked the beginning of “economic liberalisation” in India. The government started relaxing price controls and focused on increasing the efficiency of existing industries rather than just building new heavy industrial plants.
- Poverty Alleviation: This plan was also notable for launching direct attacks on poverty (e.g., the IRDP program), shifting the industrial narrative toward supporting employment and rural infrastructure.
