Essays

Introduction. The drafts of Seventh Five Year Plan was Considered and approved by the National Development Council in its Two days' meeting held on November 9-10. 1985 under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister. Shri Rajiv Gandhi. The Plan was Adopted by the NDC envisaged a total investment of Rs. 322,366 crore Over the plan period 1985-90.

Resources of the Plan. The Plan is to be financed by domestic Savings of Rs. 302,366 crore estimated at 1984 prices and inflow of Funds from abroad lo the extent of Rs. 20,000 crore. Thus nearly 94 Percent of the total Investment will be met from domestic resources.

Total outlay for the public sector.  The total public sector outlay For the Plan is Rs. 180,000 crore at 1984-85 prices. Of the total outlay, of Rs.180, 000 crore, Rs. 95534 crore is for the central sector the Balance of Rs. 80,698 crore in the Stales sector and Rs, 37dH crore for The Union Territories. The Plan is heavily oriented towards power, Agriculture, rural development, social services and human resources Development.

Additional resources. The Plan envisages additional resources Mobilisation by The Centre -and Stales and their enterprises at Rs. 44702 crore Rs, 224, W crore by the Centre and Rs.222.12 crore by The States. For raising such huge resources specific measures will be decided in the light of the economic resources emerging year to year. The new inflow of resources from abroad is estimated at Rs 18,000 which constituted 10 percent of the total plan outlay?

Targets of the - The main objective of the plan are to launch a direct attack on the problems of poverty, unemployment and Regional imbalance. The plan seeks to eliminate poverty, illiteracy and to achieve nearly lull employment by 2000 A.D. The percentage Consumption standard below this poverty line is the Expected to come down from an estimated 36.9 percent in 1984-85 to 25.8 percent in 1989-90.

Under the Seventh Five Year Plan the aim of the sufficiency in food will continue. Special efforts would be launched to increase the Production of oil-seeds, pulses, vegetables and horticulture to meet Shortages. Special effort would be made to Increase production of rice In the eastern sector through effective utilisation of irrigation and Other potentials.

Conclusion. The success of the Plan will depend a great deal on the strengthening of the machinery of planning and the organization for implementing the plan projects.