Question

Which five-year plan is also known as ‘Gadgil Yojana’
A. Second Five Year Plan
B. Third Five Year Plan
C. Fourth Five Year Plan
D. Fifth Five Year Plan

Answer 1

Hint: The Planning Commission was created in order to monitor, execute and develop the Five Year Plans. This Planning Commission was dissolved in 2015 and named as Niti Ayog.

Complete answer: The Five Year Plans are national development programs. Joseph Stalin had undertaken such a Five Year Plan in the Soviet Union in late 1920.
Complete step by step answer: The Third Five Year Plan is known as the ‘Gadgil Yojana’. This five-year programme lasted from 1961-1966. This was called so because the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission was D.R Gadgil. The Third Year Plan was aimed towards making the country economically independent. The focus was laid on agriculture and the production of wheat. During the third Five Year Plan, India was involved in two international wars: a) The Sino-Indian war of 1962 with China and b) Indo-Pakistan war in 1965.
The wars shifted the focus of the country into the defence industry and made the economy weak. The war resulted in the country’s inflation. However primary schools were started in rural areas and the major achievement was starting of the Panchayat elections. States were given the responsibility of Secondary and higher education.
Therefore, option b is correct.

Note: Although the growth rate was 5.6%, only 2.4% could be reached. Thus the Third Five Year Plan failed miserably and they were forced to declare ‘plan holidays’ from(1966-1969). During this period three annual plans were drawn.