The first five year plan was presented by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951.

1 Plan (1951-56)

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It gave importance to agriculture, irrigation and power projects to decrease the countries reliance on food grain imports, resolve the food crisis and ease the raw material problem especially in jute and cotton. Nearly 45% of the resources were designated for agriculture, while industry got a modest 4.9%. The focus was to maximize the output from agriculture, which would then provide the impetus for industrial growth. Though the first plan was formulated hurriedly, it succeeded in fulfilling the targets. Agriculture production increased dramatically, national income went up by 18%, per capita income by 11% and per capita consumption by 9%.

 The second five year plan was initiated in a climate of economic prosperity, industry gained in prominence. Agriculture programmes were formulated to meet the raw material needs of industry, besides covering the food needs of the increasing population. The Industrial Policy of 1956 was socialistic in nature. The plan aimed at 25% increase in national income.

During the second five year plan India, 5 steel plants in Jamshedpur, Durgapur, and Bhilai had been established, apart from a hydroelectric power project which was also undertaken and implemented.
Target Growth: 4.5% Actual Growth: 4.27%

In comparison to First Five Year plan, the Second Five Year Plan was a moderate success. Unfavorable monsoon in 1957-58 and 1959-60 impacted agricultural production and also the Suez crisis erupted because of circumstances surrounding the ownership of the Suez Canal blocked International Trading increased the commodity prices.

 Emphasis was on becoming self reliant in agriculture and industry. The objective of import substitution was introduced. In order to prevent monopolies and to promote economic developments in backward areas, unfeasible manufacturing units were augmented with subsidies. The plan aimed to increase national income by 30% and agriculture production by 30%. The wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan 1965 and bad monsoon in almost all the years, leads actual performance of the plan away from the target. The target growth rate of GDP (gross domestic product) was 5.6 percent. The achieved growth rate was 2.84 percent.

 At the time of initiating the fourth plan it was realized that GDP growth and rapid growth of capital accumulation alone would not help improve standard of living or to become economically selfreliant. Importance was given to providing benefits to the marginalized section of the society through employment and education. Disbursement to agricultural sector was increased to 23.3% .Family planning programme was given a big stimulus. The achievements of the fourth plan were below targets. Agriculture growth was just at 2.8% and green revolution did not perform as expected. Industry too grew at 3.9%. Target Growth: 5.7% Actual Growth: 3.30%

 As a result of inflationary pressure faced during the fourth plan, the fifth plan focused on checking inflation. Several new economic and non-economic variables such as nutritional requirements, health, family planning etc were incorporated in the planning process. Investment mix was also formulated based on demand estimated for final domestic consumption. Industry got the highest allocation of 24.3% and the plan forecasted a growth rate of 5.5% in national income. Target Growth: 4.4% Actual Growth: 4.8% The fifth plan was discontinued by the new Janata government in the fourth year itself. In 1978 the newly elected Morarji Desai government rejected the plan.

 The Janata government moved away from GNP approach to development, instead sought to achieve higher production targets with an aim to provide employment opportunities to the marginalized section of the society. The Congress government on taking office in 1980 formulated a new plan with a strategy to lay equal focus on infrastructure and agriculture. Family planning overpopulation.
was also expanded in order to prevent

The plan achieved a growth of 6% pa.

Target Growth: 5.2% Actual Growth: 5.66%

 The main objectives of the Seventh five year plans were to establish growth in areas of increasing economic productivity, production of food grains, and generating employment opportunities. The first three years of the seventh plan saw severe drought conditions, despite which the food grain production rose by 3.2%. Special programmes like Jawahar Rozgar Yojana were introduced. Sectors like welfare, education, health, family planning, employment etc got a larger disbursement. The Seventh Plan had strived towards socialism and energy production at large. The thrust areas of the 7th Five year plan have been enlisted below:
Social Justice Removal of oppression of the weak Using modern technology Agricultural development Anti-poverty programs Full supply of food, clothing, and shelter Increasing productivity of small and large scale farmers Making India an Independent Economy

Target Growth: 5.0% Actual Growth: 6.01%

 Between 1990 and 1992, there were only Annual Plans. In 1991, India faced a crisis in Foreign Exchange (Forex) reserves, left with reserves of only about US$1 billion. The Eighth plan was initiated just after a severe balance of payment crisis, which was intensified by the Gulf war in 1990. Several structural modification policies were brought in to put the country in a path of high growth rate. They were devaluation of rupees, dismantling of license prerequisite and decrease trade barriers. Modernization of industries was a major highlight of the Eighth Plan. Under this plan, the gradual opening of the Indian economy was undertaken to correct the enhancing deficit and foreign debt. The major objectives included, controlling population growth, poverty reduction, employment generation, strengthening the infrastructure, Institutional building, tourism management, Human Resource development, Involvement of Panchayat raj, Nagarapalikas, N.G.O'S and Decentralisation and people's participation. Energy was given prority with 26.6% of the outlay. An average annual growth rate of 6.78% against the target 5.6% was achieved.

 It was observed in the eighth plan that, even though the economy performed well, the gains did not reach to the weaker sections of the society. The ninth plans therefore laid greater impetus on increasing agricultural and rural incomes and alleviate the conditions of the marginal farmer and landless laborers. The main objectives of the Ninth plan are speedy industrialization, human development, full-scale employment, poverty reduction, and self-reliance on domestic resources. During the Ninth Plan period, the growth rate of 5.35 per cent was achieved against the target of 6.5 per cent.

The aim of the tenth plan was to make the Indian economy the fastest growing economy in the world, with a growth target of 8%. It wanted to bring in investor friendly market reforms and create a friendly environment for growth. It sought active participation by the private sector and increased FDI's in the financial sector. Emphasis was laid on corporate transparency and improving the infrastructure. It sought to reduce poverty ratio by 5 percentage points by 2007 and increase in literacy rates to 75 per cent by the end of the plan. Increase in forest and tree cover to 25 per cent by 2007 and all villages to have sustained access to potable drinking water. Reduction in the decadal rate of population growth between 2001 and 2011 to 16.2%. Providing gainful and high-quality employment. During the Tenth Plan period, the targeted growth rate was 8 per cent, but the actual growth rate was 7.2% for the entire 10th Plan period. Though, this is below the target of 8%, it is the highest growth rate achieved in any plan period.

The eleventh plan has the following objectives:

Income & Poverty

Accelerate

GDP growth from 8% to 10% and then maintain at 10% in the 12th Plan in order to double per capita income by 2016-17 Increase agricultural GDP growth rate to 4% per year to ensure a broader spread of benefits Create 70 million new work opportunities. Reduce educated unemployment to below 5%. Raise real wage rate of unskilled workers by 20 percent. Reduce the headcount ratio of consumption poverty by 10 percentage points.

 Education

Reduce

dropout rates of children from elementary school from 52.2% in 2003-04 to 20% by 2011-12 Develop minimum standards of educational attainment in elementary school, and by regular testing monitor effectiveness of education to ensure quality Increase literacy rate for persons of age 7 years or above to 85% Lower gender gap in literacy to 10 percentage point Increase the percentage of each cohort going to higher education from the present 10% to 15% by the end of the plan

 Health

Reduce

infant mortality rate to 28 and maternal mortality ratio to 1 per 1000 live births Reduce Total Fertility Rate to 2.1 Provide clean drinking water for all by 2009 and ensure that there are no slip-backs Reduce malnutrition among children of age group 0-3 to half its present level Reduce anaemia among women and girls by 50% by the end of the plan.

 Women and Children

Raise the sex ratio for age group 0-6 to 935 by 2011
12 and to 950 by 2016-17 Ensure that at least 33 percent of the direct and indirect beneficiaries of all government schemes are women and girl children Ensure that all children enjoy a safe childhood, without any compulsion to work

 Infrastructure

Ensure

electricity connection to all villages and BPL households by 2009 and round-the-clock power. Ensure all-weather road connection to all habitation with population 1000 and above (500 in hilly and tribal areas) by 2009, and ensure coverage of all significant habitation by 2015 Connect every village by telephone by November 2007 and provide broadband connectivity to all villages by 2012 Provide homestead sites to all by 2012 and step up the pace of house construction for rural poor to cover all the poor by 2016-17

 Environment

Increase forest and tree cover by 5 percentage points. Attain WHO standards of air quality in all major cities by

2011-12. Treat all urban waste water by 2011-12 to clean river waters. Increase energy efficiency by 20 percentage points by 2016-17.