Friday, December 5, 2008

Sixth Five Year Plan India (1980-1985)

The Sixth Five Year Plan India was undertaken for the period between 1980 to1985, with the main aim of attaining objectives like speedy industrialization, rise in the employment level, poverty reduction, and acquisition of technological self-reliance.
Background of Sixth Five Year Plan India:
At the onset of the Sixth Five Year Plan India, Rajiv Gandhi, the then prime minister prioritized speedy industrial development, with special emphasis on the information technology sector. From the Fifth Five Year Plan, the nation had been able to achieve self sufficiency in food. Moreover, the industrial sector was also diversified and science and technology also made a significant advance. One of the major hindrances in the way of further development in this period was the boom in the Indian population. However, several successful programs on improvement of public health and epidemic control were also undertaken to reduce infant mortality and increase life expectancy. Significant investments were made by the government in the Indian healthcare sector.
Objectives of the Sixth Five Year Plan India:
The objectives of the Sixth Five Year Plan India were mainly focused on increasing industrialization and reducing long-standing problems such as poverty and unemployment. Some of the highlights and predominant aims of the Sixth Five Year Plan India are enumerated as under
• to increase the growth rate of the economy
• to concentrate on the promotion of efficient use of resources
• to improve productivity level
• to initiate modernization for achieving economic and technological self-reliance
• to control poverty and unemployment
• to develop indigenous energy sources and efficient energy usage
• to promote improved quality of life of the citizens
• to introduce Minimum Needs Program for the poor and needy with an emphasis to reduce the discrepancies in income and wealth accumulation
• to initiate Family Planning Programs in order to check the growing population trends
• to protect and improve ecological and environmental assets
• to promote the education at all levels
When Rajiv Gandhi was elected as the prime minister, the young prime minister aimed for rapid industrial development, especially in the area of information technology. Progress was slow, however, partly because of caution on the part of labor and communist leaders.
The Indian national highway system was introduced for the first time and many roads were widened to accommodate the increasing traffic. Tourism also expanded.
The sixth plan also marked the beginning of economic liberalization. Price controls were eliminated and ration shops were closed. This led to an increase in food prices and an increased cost of living.
Family planning also was expanded in order to prevent overpopulation. In contrast to China's harshly-enforced one-child policy, Indian policy did not rely on the threat of force. More prosperous areas of India adopted family planning more rapidly than less prosperous areas, which continued to have a high birth rate.

Outlay: The proposed outlay for the Sixth Plan totaled Rs.1, 58,710 crore.

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