Five Year Plans — Set 8

Correct Answer: C. Fifth Plan

• **Fifth Plan** = The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was launched on 2 October 1975 during the Fifth Five Year Plan. • **Serves 100+ million children** — With coverage of over 100 million beneficiaries, it is one of the world's largest programmes for early childhood development. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Seventh Plan: ICDS was launched in 1975 during the Fifth Plan, not the Seventh; Sixth Plan: ICDS was already operational during the Sixth Plan but was launched in the Fifth; Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan ran from 1969-74, before ICDS was established.

Correct Answer: D. Fifth Plan

• **Fifth Plan** = The Fifth Five Year Plan introduced the Minimum Needs Programme (MNP) to provide a basic standard of living to all citizens. • **Seven basic services** — It focused on rural health, water supply, nutrition, primary education, rural roads, electrification, and housing for the poor. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Third Plan: the Third Plan aimed at self-reliant growth and was disrupted by wars; Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan focused on bank nationalisation and agricultural modernisation; Sixth Plan: the Sixth Plan expanded MNP but it was originally launched in the Fifth Plan.

Correct Answer: C. Sixth Plan

• **Sixth Plan** = The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85) focused on 'Growth with Equity' to ensure that development benefits reached the poor. • **IRDP and employment programmes** — It launched IRDP, NREP, and TRYSEM to directly address unemployment and income inequality. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Fifth Plan: the Fifth Plan focused on Garibi Hatao and the Minimum Needs Programme; Third Plan: the Third Plan aimed at self-reliance but was disrupted by wars; Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan focused on stability and bank nationalisation.

Correct Answer: D. Sixth Plan

• **Sixth Plan** = NABARD was established on 12 July 1982 during the Sixth Five Year Plan on the recommendations of the B. Sivaraman Committee. • **B. Sivaraman Committee** — The committee recommended a separate apex body for agricultural and rural credit, leading to NABARD's creation. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Fifth Plan: NABARD was established in 1982 during the Sixth Plan, not the Fifth; Seventh Plan: the Seventh Plan started in 1985, after NABARD was already established; Eighth Plan: the Eighth Plan started in 1992, a full decade after NABARD was set up.

Correct Answer: B. Third Plan

• **Third Plan** = The Third Five Year Plan (1961-66) recorded one of the lowest growth rates, achieving only 2.4% against a target of 5.6%. • **2.4% achieved vs 5.6% target** — The massive diversion of resources to defence during the 1962 and 1965 wars caused this severe underperformance. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan achieved modest growth after recovering from the Plan Holiday period; Second Plan: it fell short of its 4.5% target but still performed better in relative terms; First Plan: the First Plan exceeded its 2.1% target by achieving 3.6% growth.

Correct Answer: A. Fifth Plan

• **Fifth Plan** = The Command Area Development Programme was launched in 1974 during the Fifth Five Year Plan to improve irrigation utilisation. • **Gap-bridging focus** — It focused on bridging the gap between irrigation potential created and its actual utilisation through improved field channels and on-farm water management. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Third Plan: the Command Area Development Programme was launched in 1974, during the Fifth Plan, not the Third; Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan (1969-74) was ending when the programme was being launched; Sixth Plan: the Sixth Plan started in 1980, after this programme was already operational.

Correct Answer: B. Second Plan

• **Second Plan** = The Second Five Year Plan (1956-61) is commonly called the 'Industrial Plan' due to its heavy focus on basic and heavy industries. • **P. C. Mahalanobis model** — It followed the Mahalanobis model that prioritised capital goods production through a large public sector. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Third Plan: the Third Plan aimed at self-reliant development but was disrupted by wars; Fourth Plan: the Fourth Plan focused on stability, agricultural growth, and bank nationalisation; First Plan: the First Plan focused on agriculture and irrigation.

Correct Answer: C. Eighth Plan

• **Eighth Plan** = The Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-97) formally incorporated the LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation) reforms initiated in July 1991. • **Economy stabilised post-crisis** — The plan successfully stabilised the Indian economy after the 1990-91 balance of payments crisis that had nearly exhausted India's foreign exchange reserves. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Seventh Plan: the Seventh Plan predates the 1991 LPG reforms; Tenth Plan: the LPG reforms were formally adopted in the Eighth Plan, well before the Tenth; Ninth Plan: the Ninth Plan continued reforms but LPG was formally adopted in the Eighth Plan.

Correct Answer: A. 1975

• **1975** = The 20-Point Programme was first introduced in July 1975 during the Emergency period under the Fifth Five Year Plan. • **Emergency-era initiative** — It aimed at improving the living standards of the poorest citizens through 20 targeted socio-economic goals. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 1985: the 20-Point Programme was revised in 1982 and 1986 but originally launched in 1975; 1972: 1972 falls during the Fifth Plan period but the programme was introduced in 1975; 1980: the programme was restructured after 1980 but was not first introduced in that year.

Correct Answer: B. Eighth Plan

• **Eighth Plan** = The Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-97) gave high priority to human resource development, focusing on employment, education, and public health. • **80% literacy target** — It aimed to raise the literacy rate to 80% and ensure access to primary education for all children of India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Ninth Plan: the Ninth Plan focused on 'Growth with Social Justice'; Seventh Plan: the Seventh Plan focused on 'Food, Work and Productivity'; Tenth Plan: the Tenth Plan focused on doubling per capita income.