12th Political Science Notes : Chapter 3: Politics of Planned Development

Chapter 3: Politics of Planned Development notes, including the Q&A:

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Chapter-3: Politics of Planned Development

Summary:

Planning means organizing resources for social and economic goals to achieve maximum benefit. In India, the goal of planned development was to ensure economic progress along with social and economic justice. The government played the central role in this. Enrichment: Nehru called it the "Commanding Heights."

Key Points:

• Planning Commission (1950): After independence, inspired by the Soviet model, the Planning Commission was set up in 1950 (original mentions 1951, but the correct year is 1950). Its aim was to formulate long-term development policies.
• First Five-Year Plan (1951-56): Focused on poverty alleviation and agriculture; investment in dams (Bhakra Nangal) and irrigation. Interesting: Bhakra dam was called a “modern temple.”
• Second Five-Year Plan (1956-61): Based on P.C. Mahalanobis model, emphasized heavy industries (steel, machinery). Enrichment: Bhilai, Rourkela plants established.
• Agriculture vs Industry: First plan was agriculture-centric, second industry-centric; balance was needed. Interesting: Nehru-Patel had debates on this.
• Mixed Economy: India combined industrial capitalism with the public sector, termed a "mixed economy." Enrichment: Nehru’s "socialist pattern of society."
• Land Reforms: Abolition of zamindari, rent control, cooperative farming, and emphasis on agricultural education.
• Green Revolution (1960s): After the 1965 drought and food crisis, wheat production increased through HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation. Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP benefited. Interesting: M.S. Swaminathan is called the “Father of Green Revolution.”
• Negative Effects: Regional inequality (Eastern India lagged) and environmental damage (decline in soil fertility).
• White Revolution: Operation Flood (Verghese Kurien) boosted milk production; the Amul model made India the world’s largest milk producer.

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Answer the following in one complete sentence:

1 Mark

1. When was India’s first Five-Year Plan adopted?
   Ans: India’s first Five-Year Plan was adopted in 1951-1956.

2. POSCO plant is located in which state?
   Ans: The POSCO plant is located in Odisha.

3. Which grain’s production increased due to the Green Revolution?
   Ans: Wheat production increased due to the Green Revolution.

4. Who is the pioneer of the Green Revolution in India?
   Ans: The pioneer of the Green Revolution in India is M.S. Swaminathan.

5. When was bank nationalization in India?
   Ans: Bank nationalization in India happened in 1969.

6. What is Operation Flood?
   Ans: Operation Flood is a program to increase milk production, known as the White Revolution.

7. What was the focus of the Second Five-Year Plan?
   Ans: The Second Five-Year Plan focused on heavy industries.

8. Under which Prime Minister did the implementation of socialist policy begin?
   Ans: The implementation of socialist policy began under Jawaharlal Nehru.

9. When was India’s last nuclear test?
   Ans: India’s last nuclear test was in 1998.

10. What is the full form of GDP?
    Ans: The full form of GDP is Gross Domestic Product.

11. What replaced the Planning Commission in India?
    Ans: The Planning Commission in India was replaced by NITI Aayog.

12. Who was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission?
    Ans: The first Chairman of the Planning Commission was Jawaharlal Nehru.

13. When was NITI Aayog formed?
    Ans: NITI Aayog was formed on 1 January 2015.

14. What is the full form of NITI?
    Ans: The full form of NITI is National Institution for Transforming India.

15. Who is the founder of the Indian Statistical Institute?
    Ans: The founder of the Indian Statistical Institute is P.C. Mahalanobis.

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Choose the correct option:

1 Mark

1. _______ is known as the Dairy Man of India.
   (A) M.P. Singh (B) Verghese Kurien (C) J.C. Kumarappa (D) K.M. Rajan
   Answer: (B) Verghese Kurien. Interesting: Made Amul global.

2. In the 1960s, there was severe food crisis in _______.
   (A) Bihar (B) Tripura (C) Haryana (D) Uttar Pradesh
   Answer: (A) Bihar. Enrichment: Food imported under PL480.

3. The author of the book ‘Economy of Permanence’ is _______.
   (A) Mahalanobis (B) J.C. Kumarappa (C) Jawaharlal Nehru (D) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
   Answer: (B) J.C. Kumarappa (‘Economy of Permanence’). Interesting: Gandhian economics.

4. The economic model adopted in India is _______.
   (A) Capitalist economy (B) Socialist economy (C) Mixed economy (D) None of the above
   Answer: (C) Mixed economy. Enrichment: Nehru’s balance model.

5. Plan Holiday was during _______.
   (A) Third Plan (B) Fourth Plan (C) Fifth Plan (D) Sixth Plan
   Answer: (B) Fourth Plan (1966-69). Interesting: Due to war and drought.

6. Bhakra Nangal and Hirakud dams were built during _______.
   (A) First Plan (B) Second Plan (C) Third Plan (D) Fourth Plan
   Answer: (A) First Plan. Enrichment: “Temple of Modern India.”

7. In 1969, banks were nationalized. How many?
   (A) 14 (B) 17 (C) 19 (D) 12
   Answer: (A) 14. Enrichment: Indira Gandhi’s socialist policy.

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Answer the following in about 40 words:

2 Marks

1. What is the Green Revolution?
   Ans: The Green Revolution was a program in the 1960s that increased wheat production through HYV seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation, making India food self-sufficient. (24 words)

2. What do you understand by cooperative farming?
   Ans: In cooperative farming, farmers share resources to increase production, such as Amul, which reduced poverty and promoted rural development. (22 words)

3. What is a Plan Holiday?
   Ans: Plan Holiday (1966-69) was when Five-Year Plans were suspended due to war and drought, replaced with annual plans. (22 words)

4. Differentiate between public and private sectors.
   Ans: Public sector is owned by government, focused on welfare (e.g., SAIL); private sector is individual-owned, profit-oriented (e.g., Tata). (18 words)

5. What is a mixed economy?
   Ans: In a mixed economy, public and private sectors cooperate, like in India where socialism and capitalism were balanced. (18 words)

6. What is land reform?
   Ans: Land reform includes abolition of zamindari, rent control, cooperative farming, and granting land rights to poor farmers. (18 words)

7. What does White Revolution or Operation Flood mean?
   Ans: White Revolution (Operation Flood) was Verghese Kurien’s program to boost milk production, making India the top milk producer through the Amul model. (24 words)

8. What is NITI Aayog?
   Ans: NITI Aayog, formed in 2015, is a think tank that frames policies and promotes cooperative federalism with states. (18 words)

9. What is the Mahalanobis model?
   Ans: The Mahalanobis model, basis of the Second Plan, focused on heavy industries and capital goods production. (16 words)

10. What is meant by Politics of Planned Development?
    Ans: Politics of planned development means government-led resource allocation through Five-Year Plans for poverty eradication and social justice. (20 words)

11. Who is known as the Milk Man of India?
    Ans: Verghese Kurien is known as the Milk Man of India, father of White Revolution. (12 words)

12. In which decade did the Green Revolution begin?
    Ans: The Green Revolution began in the 1960s. (8 words)

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Map-based Questions:

1 Mark

1. State where White Revolution took place.
   Ans: Gujarat (Amul). Enrichment: World’s largest dairy cooperative.

2. State where Indian Statistical Institute is located.
   Ans: West Bengal (Kolkata). Enrichment: Founded by P.C. Mahalanobis.

3. State where Bhakra-Nangal dam is located.
   Ans: Punjab-Himachal Pradesh. Interesting: Nehru’s “temple.”

4. State where Hirakud dam is located.
   Ans: Odisha. Enrichment: Asia’s longest dam.

5. State where first steel project is located.
   Ans: Jharkhand (Tatanagar). Interesting: India’s first steel plant.

6. State with severe food crisis in 1965-67.
   Ans: Bihar. Enrichment: Import under PL480.

7. State where nuclear tests were conducted.
   Ans: Rajasthan (Pokhran). Interesting: “Smiling Buddha” 1974.

8. State with Sardar Sarovar Project.
   Ans: Gujarat. Enrichment: Narmada Bachao Andolan.

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Answer the following (within 120 words):

3/4 Marks

1. Discuss the functions of NITI Aayog.
   Ans: NITI Aayog, formed on 1 January 2015, replaced the Planning Commission. Functions:
   (A) Coordination: Between Centre, states, and departments.
   (B) Strategy: Formulating realistic policies and technical strategies.
   (C) Evaluation: Monitoring projects, promoting innovation, capacity building.
   (D) Decentralization: Taking development to grassroots, promoting cooperative federalism. Interesting: Atal Innovation Mission encourages startups. Outcome: NITI prepares SDG Index and provides policy support to states. (92 words)

2. Discuss the main features of the Mahalanobis model.
   Ans: Mahalanobis model (1953, Second Plan):

1. Focus on heavy industries like steel, machinery.
2. Import substitution for self-reliance.
3. Two-sector model: capital goods vs consumer goods.
   Features: Mathematical, ISI-based, Soviet-inspired. Interesting: Bhilai, Rourkela plants. Negative: Neglect of agriculture, increased inequality. (48 words)

3. Mention the reasons for the gradual decline of public sectors in India.
   Ans: Reasons:

1. Inefficiency: PSUs like Air India ran losses.
2. 1991 liberalization: Boosted privatization.
3. Corruption: Political interference.
4. Globalization: WTO pressures. Interesting: Since 1991, 100+ out of 245 PSUs were sold. (38 words)

4. If private sector had full freedom in India, would India have prospered? Justify.
   Ans: Yes, private sector brings innovation, like Tata, Reliance. After 1991 reforms, GDP grew 8%+. But a mixed model was essential, as private sector increases inequality. Public sector reduced poverty. Balance was better. Interesting: Mixed model ensured stability. (42 words)

5. What is the Green Revolution? Mention its positive and negative impacts.
   Ans: Green Revolution (1960s) used HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation to boost wheat output. Positive: Food self-sufficiency; wheat rose from 55 to 100+ million tons. Negative: Regional inequality (Punjab vs East), environmental damage, small farmers lagged. Interesting: India became a grain exporter. (48 words)

6. What were the main themes of the First Five-Year Plan? How was the Second different?
   Ans: First Plan (1951-56): Agriculture, irrigation, poverty alleviation, Bhakra dam. Second Plan (1956-61): Heavy industries, Mahalanobis model, steel plants. Difference: First rural-oriented, second industrial; both aimed at self-reliance. Interesting: Nehru-Patel debated on focus. (38 words)

7. Discuss two major controversies in the beginning of planning.
   Ans: Controversies:

1. Agriculture vs Industry: First plan focused on agriculture, second on industry; Nehru-Patel differences.
2. Public vs Private: Nationalization vs liberalism, opposed by Swatantra Party. Interesting: Mixed model balanced both. (28 words)

8. Discuss the major outcomes of planning in India’s economy.
   Ans: Outcomes:

1. Growth: 3.5% GDP (Hindu Rate).
2. Self-reliance: Growth of industries.
3. Inequality: Rich states advanced.
4. 1991 reforms: Crisis-led liberalization. Interesting: Through 12 plans, GDP grew 20x. (32 words)

9. Why did India adopt a mixed economy?
   Ans: To combine socialism (justice) and capitalism (growth). Nehru adopted a Soviet-Western mixed model due to poverty and colonial legacy. Interesting: Nehru’s socialist pattern. (20 words)

10. Write the major objectives of economic planning.
    Ans: Objectives:

1. Accelerate growth.
2. Poverty eradication.
3. Self-reliance.
4. Equitable distribution. Interesting: Planning Commission allocated resources. (18 words)

11. What was meant by balanced development in Five-Year Plans?
    Ans: Balanced development meant regional and sectoral equality, agriculture-industry balance. But Green Revolution advanced Punjab, while East lagged. Interesting: Inequality remains a challenge. (22 words)

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