Fourth Five Year Plan (1970-1975)
a) Objectives:
- Maximize output.
- Creation of physical infrastructure for sustained and log term growth.
- Expand and diversify international trade.
- Secure accelerated pace of development with maximum economic stability by controlling price level,
- Make effective use of manpower, resources and control population growth,
- Create condition conducive to the emergence of exploitation free society, and
- Promote regional development.
b) Target
- GDP was targeted to increase by 4 per cent per annum, food grain production by 16 per cent (3.2% per year) and cash crop production by 40 per cent (8.0% per year).
c) Priority:
- the transport and communication sector received highest priority.
- Agriculture and allied sector, industry and social services sectors accorded second, third and fourth priority, respectively.
d) Financing:
- Total budget allocation in this plan was Rs. 3540.0 million, of which Rs. 2570 million was allocated to public sector.
- Private and Panchayat sector received Rs. 870 million and Rs. 100 million, respectively.
- Foreign loans and grants were expected to cover 42 per cent of the total budget.
e) Achievement:
- Telecommunication, roads, airfields, health services in almost all the sectors the financial targets exceeded whereas the physical targets were never reached.
- the annual rate of growth of GDP was only 2.2 per cent year as against the target of 4 per cent.
- Food grain production increased by 1.9 per cent per year and cash crop production by 2 per cent per year, which was lower than the target.
- Only 29.6 per cent of the target was fulfilled in providing irrigation facility as against a target of 183.00 hectare of land.
- Achievement in transport sector was only 65 per cent of the target and in power it was 75 per cent of the target.
Table: Fourth Plan: Targets and Achievements in Agriculture
|
Areas |
Target |
Achievements |
|
FOOD GRAINS |
24.9% |
10.2% |
|
Paddy |
10.4% |
9.46% |
|
Maize |
6.7% |
3.99% |
|
Wheat and Barley |
95.5% |
23.60% |
|
Millet |
– |
14.54% |
|
Cash crops |
33.7% |
10.3% |
|
Sugarcane |
50% |
16.57% |
|
Tobacco |
33% |
-28.93% |
|
Jute |
35% |
-16.98% |
|
Oilseed |
11% |
14.39% |
|
Irrigation |
544 Th Ha |
544 Th Ha |
|
High yield var. |
472 Th Mt |
548 Th ha |
|
Chemical fertilizers |
25 Th Ha |
13 Th Ha |
|
Plant protection materials |
1250 Th Rs |
610 Th Rs |
Source: Fourth Plan,
f) Obstacles/ Problems
- It only covered few selected areas.
- Inability of the government to provide in sufficient quantity of inputs necessary for expansion.
- poor administration and poor project preparation.