Chapter 14: Parliament Session Part-04

In the course of the Plan the nation sets out to achieve

as much in five years as has been realized in the ten years of the First

and Second Plans.

The task is large in magnitude, urgent, and of great significance for the present and the future.

Its administrative implications are vast and call for the highest standards of efficiency attainable in every field of activity.

Effective implementation requires the maximum mobilization of resources, adaptation to changing needs, coordination and concentration of resources at every vital point, ability to anticipate difficulties and problems, readiness to seize upon favorable opportunities for growth and, above all, men of skill and knowledge and organizations attuned to the objectives of the Plan.

It is estimated that national income will go up at least by 30 per cent

and per capita income by 17 per cent over the next five years.

Agriculture production will increase by 30% over the production from 135 million tons in 1960-1961 to 176 million tons.

Food Grain production will increase by 32% over the production from 76 million tons in 1960-1961 to 100 million tons.

Nitrogen fertilizer consumed will increase by 335% over 230 thousand tons in 1960-1961 to 1000 thousand tons.

Area under irrigation will increase by 45% over 70 million acres in 1960-1961 to 101 million acres.

Advance to farmers will increase by 165% over 200 crores in 1960-1961 to 530 crores.

Steel production will increase by 163% over 3.2 million tons in 1960-1961 to 9.2 million tons.

Aluminum production will increase by 332% over 18.5 thousand tons in 1960-1961 to 80 thousand tons.

Machine tools value will increase by 445% over 5.5 crores in 1960-1961 to 30 crores.

Sulfuric Acid production will increase by 313% over 365 thousand tons in 1960-1961 to 1500 thousand tons.

Petroleum production will increase by 70% over 5.7 million tons in 1960-1961 to 9.9 million tons.

Mill Made cloth production will increase by 13% over 5127 million yards in 1960-1961 to 5800 million yards.

Handloom, Power loom and khadi production will increase by 49% over 2349 million yards in 1960-1961 to 3500 million yards.

Iron Ore production will increase by 180% over 10.7 million tons in 1960-1961 to 30.0 million tons.

Coal production will increase by 76% over 54.6 million tons in 1960-1961 to 90.0 million tons.

Export value will increase by 32% over 645 crores in 1960-1961 to 850 crores.

Power Installation capacity will increase by 123% over 5.7 million kW in 1960-1961 to 12.7 million kW.

Railway freight carried will increase by 59% over 154 million tons in 1960-1961 to 245 million tons.

Road transport (commercial vehicle on road) will increase by 74% over 210 thousand in 1960-1961 to 365 thousand.

Shipping tonnage will increase by 21% over 9 lack GRT in 1960-1961 to 10.9 lack GRT.

Students in Schools will increase by 47% over 43.5 millions in 1960-1961 to 63.9 million.

Engineering and technology degree level intake will increase by 37% over 13.9 thousands in 1960-1961 to 19.1 thousand.

Hospital beds will increase by 29% over 186 thousands in 1960-1961 to 240 thousand.

Doctors practicing will increase by 16% over 70 thousands in 1960-1961 to 81 thousand.

Food Consumption will increase by 10% over 2100 calories per capita per day in 1960-1961 to 2300 calories per capita per day,

Cloth Consumption will increase by 11% over 15.5 yards per capita per annum in 1960-1961 to 17.2 yards per capita per annum.

Increase in population, the growing expectations of the people

and the urgent need for attaining the stage of self-sustained growth

over the next two or three Plan periods make it essential that there should be every possible effort to achieve these targets during the next five years.

In addition, certain measures must be taken during the Plan period itself in preparation for the Fourth Plan.

The physical programmes included in the Plan have been formulated with both these objectives in view.

The total cost of completing all these programmes exceeds Rs. 10,000 crores for the public sector and is estimated at Rs. 2100 crores for the private sector.

Past experience has shown that if a plan for a five-year period is prepared only in terms of the financial resources in sight at the time

of the preparation of the Plan, the fullest use cannot be made of all the

opportunities which present themselves as implementation proceeds.

The physical programmes to be accepted for implementation over the five-year period should not, therefore, be altogether limited by the financial resources immediately in sight at the stage of drawing up the Plan, although the outlays have necessarily to be mobilized from year to year.

The estimate of financial resources has been placed for the present at Rs. 7500 crores.

Recent studies, however, indicate that there are possibilities of raising additional resources if certain measures are taken for mobilizing the savings of the country.

In fact to the extent that the physical targets included in the Plan are achieved, the prospects of raising additional financial resources will correspondingly improve.

As a result of the support which India's development plans are receiving from friendly countries and from the International Bank and

other international agencies there is reason to hope that the shortage

of foreign exchange may not be a major impediment in the realization

of the goals of the Third Plan.

A plan of development, however elaborate or precise, is at best a framework which sets broad patterns for action.

Its success rests on a variety of factors— on widespread understanding of the challenge the burdens of development, on the release of new productive forces and increasing application of modern science and technology, on changes in outlook and motivation and, finally, on a climate of confidence that rapid economic development is the means both to social justice and to wider economic opportunity."