Some Palliatives in Socio-economic Development

Abstract

India’s First Five Year Plan already stated explicitly that ‘planning even in the initial stages should not be confined to stimulating economic activity within the existing social and economic framework. That framework itself has to be remoulded so as to ensure progressively for all members of the community full employment, education, security against sickness and other disabilities and adequate income’ (P.C., 1952:11). If the experience of Wangala and Dalena is in any way representative of larger areas of rural India, then it is clear that planning has failed in one of its major objectives. I have shown that social inequality in these two villages has continued almost unchanged while economic differentiation has considerably increased during the last fifteen years : the poor have become poorer not only relatively but also absolutely.