FIVE YEAR PLANS(7-9)

Seventh Plan (1985-90)

• Strong emphasis on creation of productive employment on farm as well as rural
subsidiary occupations.
• Stress on increasing the production of food grains, oilseeds, sugar, textiles, domestic fuel
and housing
• Outward-looking strategy with exports receiving high priority.
• Tempo of domestic and external liberalization has tened
• The plan also had a 15-year perspective (1985-2000) for removal of poverty, providing
for basic needs, achieving universal elementary education and total access to health
facilities.
• Average annual growth rate during the plan period was 5.6% (target fiver percent)
• Agriculture grew at 4.1% against a target of four percent.
• Manufacturing industries achieved a growth rate of 8.8% (target 8%)
• There was a severe short fall in the mining sector (5.6% against a target of 13%)
• Social sector performance fell far short of targets especially in housing for the landless,
elementary education, and general poverty alleviation.

Eighth Plan (1992-97)

The plan was launched in 1992 after the plan holiday during economically and politically
difficult days of 1990-91 and 91-92.
The acceptance of liberation and the need for market forces to play a greater role.
• Employment generation to be speeded up to achieve full employment by 2000
• Total literacy to be achieved in the 15-35 age group by covering an additional 110
million people

• Restructuring the systems of economic management through public sector reforms,
including selective disinvestment

• The English Plan was to walk on ‘two legs’ – one leg of alleviating poverty and removing
unemployment and the other ‘leg’ providing a ‘safety net’ for those who will be affected
by the structural adjustment programme. The plan had thus built in ‘the human face’
element of adjustment.

  NinthPlan (1997-2002)

• The development strategy emphasized the role for markets and the need for government
to intervene to promote a degree of competition through suitable legislation. License Raj
was to be ended. The plan emphasized co-operative federalism. It also stressed the
importance of infrastructural development.
• The plan was indicative in nature, focusing on policies. It also provided a 15-year
perspective. It aimed to achieve a growth rate of eight percent per annum in the medium
term and a rate of 6.5percent during the plan period (’97-02’)