Economic Planning-Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985)

Introduction

The Sixth Five-Year Plan was the onset of the economic liberation of India. It was the first step of India towards a Model State. The fundamental objective of the Sixth Year Plan was to put India’s economy on the right path. It was implemented to fulfil all the objectives such as reducing the poverty rate, higher income of all the states of India, Putting down social, regional, and economical inequalities with the help of effective plans for the upliftment of backward classes, and trampled sections. In this study, the overview, significance, objectives, and facts of the Sixth Year Plan will be discussed.

Sixth Five Year Plan (1980 – 1985)

This Sixth-Five Year Plan of India was the commencement of economic liberalisation (the reduction of rules, restrictions, and regulations for economic exchange). Control of price was removed and rations shops closed. This ultimately resulted in increasing the price of foods and living costs. Although the Sixth Five Year Plan was a major success for the Indian economy as it accelerated in different ways. The Growth rate of the Indian economy was earlier targeted at 5.2% but the appropriate growth rate of the economy was 5.7%. Other different objectives were to elevate the downtrodden sections and backward classes of India. It was aimed to eliminate illiteracy between the age group of 15-35. Its objective was to0 educate everyone between the age group of 6-14 years. Improvement of the standard of living of people, sanitation, and environment was alluded to in this planning. 

Overview of Sixth Five Year Plan (1980 – 1985)

The Sixth Five Year Plan was a great success for the Indian economy. This was capable of attaining most of its objectives that were planned before the implementation of the Five-year plan. The average growth rate of the Indian economy was around 5%. The production of food increased to 151.5 MT. The overall growth of the individual sectors was favourable. This Five-year plan bestowed extraordinary attention towards the elimination of poverty with the help of programs such as NREP (National Rural Employment Programme), IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Programme), and RLEGP (Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme). According to the data of the planning commission, 37% of the population was under the poverty line at the end of this Five-year planning.  

Significance of Sixth Five Year Plan (1980 – 1985)

This Sixth Five Year Plan was of great significance. Its implementation in India had somewhat reduced the poverty rate of India. It helped in the upliftment of the standard of living of rural people. Along with that, it also helped to raise the education level, sanitation, nutrition, working conditions, and maintenance and cleaning of the environment. The basic objectives of this plan were to lift scheduled castes, trampled sections, and other backward classes. Besides these, the increase of income of every state and the development of education, and the elimination of illiteracy of the Indian people were some of the main targets of this annual plan. 

Objectives of Sixth Five Year Plan (1980 – 1985)

This Sixth Five Year Plan was implemented to fulfil its targets so that the overall development of India gets accomplished. It had different various objectives such as 

• The acceleration of the Indian economy up to the annual growth rate of about 5%. 
• The elimination of poverty in the rural areas of India. For the elimination of poverty, different programs were put in place such as NREP, IRDP, and RLEGP. 
• Elimination of social, regional, and economical inequalities was one of the major objectives of this plan.
• Education for all and the elimination of illiteracy of the people were targeted through this five-year plan. 
• Elimination of unemployment in India. 
• Reduction of the urban and rural dispersal was one of its objectives. 
• In this plan, different measures were taken for the development of standard of life. Improvement of quality of life has obtained significant emphasis. The most significant procedure was the proper supply of water and maintenance of sewerage projects in 9 big cities of India.  
• Sub-plans for the integrated area were one of this plan’s objectives. Three areas such as the border area, the bet area (riverine), and the Kandi area (submontane) were abandoned for development. For the development of these integrated areas, certain sub-plans were implemented to level up the rest of the state.

Facts of Sixth Five Year Plan (1980 – 1985)

The facts of the Sixth Five Year Plan are mentioned below. It was developed for the improvement of rural as well as agricultural sections through the production of crops, the establishment of different programs related to agriculture, irrigation for crop production, and conservation of soil. Along with this, development of the transport and tourism sector with the help of constructions of road, highways and bridges and making of development research about the tourism and transport sector.  

Conclusion

This Sixth Five Year Plan is an important chapter in the Indian Economy. Along w the proper understanding of this topic, this study is discussed based on objectives, facts, and significance. One must go through different important aspects to properly understand the sixth five Year plans of India. In this Sixth Five Year Plan Special provisions were made for the backward and downtrodden class to avail the facilities of sewerage and constant supply of water, Significant amount of development in the sector of the industry, as well as the development of the rural area, were also discussed in this overview of the Sixth Five Year Plan.