Planning is the process of deciding in advance what is to be done, how it is to be done and who is to do it, in order to achieve the goals of development. In India, planning has been used since independence as the main instrument for the economic development of the country, for the removal of poverty and for the reduction of regional imbalances. Planning involves the allocation of resources, the setting of targets and the implementation of programmes to achieve the desired objectives.
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The concept was popularised by the Brundtland Commission in 1987 and has become the guiding principle of development planning. Sustainable development requires that economic growth, social equity and environmental protection are pursued together, so that the resources of the Earth are conserved for future generations.
Planning in India was institutionalised in 1950 with the establishment of the Planning Commission, and the country adopted the system of Five Year Plans. The First Five Year Plan was launched in 1951, and India completed twelve Five Year Plans before the Planning Commission was replaced by the NITI Aayog in 2015. The NITI Aayog, the National Institution for Transforming India, was established to give a new direction to planning, with a focus on the federal spirit, cooperative federalism and long-term vision.
The objectives of planning in India have been the rapid growth of the economy, the reduction of poverty and inequality, the creation of employment, the development of infrastructure and the balanced development of all regions. The Five Year Plans were formulated at the national level and implemented through the state governments and the local bodies. The planning process in India has been instrumental in the expansion of agriculture, industry, transport, education and health services since independence.
Regional planning is the planning of the development of a particular region, taking into account its resources, needs and potential. In India, regional planning has been used to address the problem of regional imbalance, because some regions of the country, such as the northern plains and the coastal areas, are well developed, while others, such as the northeastern states, the hill areas and the drought-prone regions, are backward. The backward regions of India are the hill areas, the tribal areas, the drought-prone areas and the flood-prone areas.
Several programmes have been launched for the development of the backward regions. The Hill Area Development Programme was launched for the development of the hill areas of the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, and the Drought-Prone Areas Programme was launched for the development of the drought-prone districts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and other states. The Tribal Area Development Programme and the North-Eastern Council have been established for the development of the tribal areas and the northeastern states respectively.
Sustainable development rests on the principles of equity, efficiency, environmental integrity and intergenerational responsibility. Equity means that all people, including future generations, have a right to the resources of the Earth. Efficiency means the optimal use of resources with minimum waste. Environmental integrity means that economic activities must not damage the ecological balance, and intergenerational responsibility means that the present generation must conserve resources for the generations to come.
Sustainable development requires the adoption of the three pillars of sustainability: economic sustainability, social sustainability and environmental sustainability. Economic sustainability means the maintenance of economic growth, social sustainability means the improvement of the quality of life of all people, and environmental sustainability means the protection of the natural environment. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, with their target year of 2030, provide a comprehensive framework for sustainable development across the world.
India has adopted a number of measures for sustainable development. The National Environment Policy, the National Action Plan on Climate Change and the Clean India Mission (Swachh Bharat) are the major initiatives. The National Solar Mission aims to increase the use of solar energy, and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes sustainable farming practices. The renewable energy programme of India, which promotes solar, wind and hydroelectric power, is one of the largest in the world.
Sustainable development in India faces several challenges. The dependence of a large population on agriculture and forests for livelihood, the growing pressure on land, water and energy resources, the rapid urbanisation and the pollution of the environment are the major challenges. The way forward lies in the integration of environmental concerns into all development programmes, the promotion of renewable energy, the conservation of natural resources and the participation of the local communities in the management of resources.
The planning for sustainable development in India has focused on specific regions and problems. In the hill areas of the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, the planning focuses on the conservation of forests and soils, the prevention of landslides and the development of horticulture and eco-tourism. In the drought-prone areas of the Deccan and Rajasthan, the planning focuses on water conservation, watershed management, the raising of drought-resistant crops and the development of livestock.
In the tribal areas of central India and the northeast, the planning focuses on the conservation of forests and biodiversity, the development of the tribal economy and the protection of the rights of the tribal communities. In the coastal areas and the river deltas, the planning focuses on the prevention of floods, the conservation of mangroves and the protection of fisheries. These area-specific plans show that sustainable development in India is both a regional and a national challenge.
| Institution | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Commission | 1950 | Formulated Five Year Plans |
| First Five Year Plan | 1951 | Launched national planning |
| NITI Aayog | 2015 | Replaced the Planning Commission |
| Programme | Region |
|---|---|
| Hill Area Development Programme | Hill areas of Himalayas and Western Ghats |
| Drought-Prone Areas Programme | Drought-prone districts |
| Tribal Area Development Programme | Tribal areas |
| North-Eastern Council | Northeastern states |
Planning and sustainable development are the twin instruments through which India seeks to achieve the rapid growth of the economy and the well-being of its people without destroying the environment. Since the establishment of the Planning Commission in 1950 and the launch of the first Five Year Plan in 1951, planning has guided India's development, and the NITI Aayog now gives it a new federal direction. Regional planning addresses the imbalance in the development of the backward regions, while the concept of sustainable development, defined by the Brundtland Commission, balances economic, social and environmental goals. By integrating environmental concerns into planning and promoting renewable energy, India can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and secure the welfare of present and future generations.
Keywords: Planning, Planning Commission, Five Year Plans, NITI Aayog, regional planning, sustainable development, Brundtland Commission, Sustainable Development Goals.