Community Development In Indias Five-Year Plans

Five Year plans are comprehensive planning, which brings about change in the economic and non-economic spheres. Planning commission came in to existence in 1950. India launched its first Five Year Plan in 1951. It was rightly thought that planning would not be effective without substantial participation of the people, thus suggesting that planning ought to be a peoples movement. The main objective of Five-Year Plan is to bring changes in the economic and non-economic field. Indian economy is mainly depending on Agriculture. In each Five Year Plan Rural development was one of the primary objectives.

Public Sector Expenditure on Social Services in Five-Year Plans

1 2 Total Outlay Expenditu re on Social services Percentag e Social Welfare programs only Ist 196 0 459 2nd 460 0 830 3rd 750 0 130 0 17 28 4th 159 02 257 9 16 41.4 5th 372 50 579 0 15 83 6th 975 00 140 35 14.4 272 7th 18000 0 29350 8th 43410 0 79012

Rs.in crores
9th 859200 183273

3 4

23 1.6

18 15

16.3 1012

18.2 3855

21.3 4556.75

First Five-Year Plan (1951-1956)

The first plan with a total outlay of Rs.1960 Crore was a rather haphazard (accidental) venture, as the planning commission had no reliable statistics to work upon. During this plan the resources were allotted to social welfare services under the heads of social services. This plan brought 25% of rural population under this programme. During this plan period this rural Development Programme started in 1068 Blocks. This programme gave benefit to 7.8 Crore people from 1,50,000 villages.

The first Community development Project was implemented on 2nd October 1952 and National Extension Programme (NES) started on 2nd October 1953. Establishment of Central Social Welfare Board in 1953.

Second Five - Year Plan (1956 1961)

This plan has got an idea to cover the entire rural population. But due to financial difficulties they could not achieve it. This plan covered 3100 Blocks and 3.7 Lakh Villages. 20 crores rural population come under the benefit of this plan programmes. During this period the Government of India appointed a study team headed by Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) to have a study on the rural development programmes and to give their recommendations. They recommended for a three-tier system in the country.

Third Five-Year Plan (1961-1966)

This plan was made an allocation of 3219 Crore rupees for community Development and Panchayat Programme. But actual allocation was 276.8 Crore for community development and Panchayat Programmes.

Interim Planning (1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69)

There were three annual plans for this period. During this period 99.4 crore rupees was spent for community Development and Panchayat programmes.

Fourth Five-Year Plan (1969 1974)

During the fourth five year plan, a plan was made to spend 115.5 crore rupees for community development. In this plan period a pilot research project for growth centers was launched, establishing 20 centers in various states. Each growth center consisted of about 20 blocks (2 Million Population).

Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974 1979)

During this plan Rs.128.8 Crore was kept for community development. The fifth plan points out that in regard to programmes, priority will be given to the claims of women in need of care and protection, women with low income families, needy women with dependant children and working women. A

programme of functional literacy, which would endow women with necessary knowledge and skills to perform the functions of housewife such as child care, nutrition, healthcare, home economics etc will be launched for women in the age group of 1545 Years.

Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-1985)

Provision of 322 crore was kept for the community development and Panchayati Raj programme. This period again gave stress to the concept of Democratic Decentralization. Integrated Rural Development Programme was started in 1978-79. Aim of Integrated Rural Development programme. - To raise the income of the people below the poverty line through some income generation programmes. Initially this programme implemented in 2300 Blocks and in every year it added 300 new blocks in to this programme. During this programme 165.6 Lakh families got the benefit of this programme. It was aimed to give benefit to 150 Lakh families. The achievement was 110.4%.

Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985-1990)

The Seventh Plan aimed at bringing down the population below the poverty line from 273 Million in March 1985 to 211 million by the end of 1989-90(with the poverty ratio declining from 37% to 26%. This plan was to extricate (Cater) about 62 Million people from the grip of poverty of whom about 54 Million would be the rural poor. In the seventh plan nutrition becomes part of social welfare as ICDS programme, which is administered by the Social Welfare Department, has nutrition an important component.

Eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-1997)

The eighth five year plan has stated that in 1987-88, the rural poverty line in terms of per capita monthly expenditure as rs.131.80. During this plan, 1.26 crore families are proposed to be assisted with central and state allocation of Rupees 6650crore under IRDP. By 1994, about 4 crore and 22 Lakh families have been assisted of an investment of Rs.18728.3 Crore under IRDP. The eighth plan provision for the center as well as the states is Rs.6650 crore and the target is to assist over1.25crore families. A major objective in the Eighth Plan will be to bring about an overall improvement in the nutritional status of the population.

Ninth Five-Year Plan (1997-2002)

The name of the Ministry of Welfare was renamed as Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in May-1998. As the name implies, it incorporates two components empowerment and social justice. The Word empowerment encompasses social as well as economic empowerment. A total outlay of Rs.5399.50 crore has been earmarked for both Central and Centrally sponsored schemes including Special Central Assistance (SCA) to special component plan (SCP) for SCs, an amount of Rs.9568.68 crore (Provisional) has been allotted for state sector schemes for empowering the socially disadvantaged groups viz. SCs, STs, OBCs and Minorities in the Ninth Five Year Plan. During this plan priority was given to agriculture and rural development with a view to generate productive employment and eradication of poverty. Another Priority area was ensuring food and nutrition for the vulnerable sections of the society. Again it stressed the empowerment of women and socially disadvantaged groups and the promotion and development of Panchayati Raj, Co-operatives etc.

Ref: Madan G.R - Indian Social Problems Volume I & II I. Satya Sundaram Rural Development Malayala Manorama Year Book - 1999