Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context Class 12 Geography

Introduction

Planning involves the process of thinking, formulating a scheme or program, and implementing a set of actions to achieve a goal. It is a deliberate method used for preparation, such as for exams or travel. In the context of economic development, planning differs from traditional hit-and-miss methods and includes structured approaches to reforms and reconstruction.

There are two main approaches to planning:

Sectoral Planning:

• Focuses on the development of specific sectors within the economy.
• Examples include agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, power, construction, transport, communication, social infrastructure, and services.

Regional Planning:

• Addresses the uneven economic development across different areas within a country.
• Aims to reduce regional imbalances by taking a spatial perspective and creating plans to develop less developed areas.

Target Area Planning

• The main objective of the planning process is to promote the development of economically disadvantaged areas. It is crucial to have access to resources, technology, and investment to ensure proper economic development in a region. However, even resource-rich regions may remain underdeveloped.
• Despite more than a decade of planning experience, there are still significant regional imbalances in economic development. To address both regional and social disparities, the Planning Commission has introduced the "Target Area" and "Target Group" approaches to planning.

Some of the programmes which are directed towards the development of these two approaches are as follows:

Target Area Programmes

• The "Target Area" approach to planning includes specific programs aimed at promoting development in certain areas.
• The Command Area Development Program targets development in specific regions.
• The Drought Prone Area Development Program focuses on areas susceptible to drought.
• The Desert Development Program is designed for regions classified as deserts.
• The Hill Area Development Program concentrates on development initiatives in hilly regions.

Target Group Programmes

• The "Target Group" approach to planning includes programs designed to support specific groups, such as the Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA) and the Marginal Farmers Development Agency (MFDA).
• In the Eighth Five Year Plan, special area programs were implemented to focus on the development of hill areas, North-Eastern states, tribal areas, and other backward regions.

Hill Area Development Programme

• The Fifth Five Year Plan identified 15 districts that include all hilly districts of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), Mikir hill, and North Cachar hills of Assam, Darjeeling district of West Bengal, and Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu for development.
• In 1981, the National Committee on the Development of Backward Areas recommended that hill areas above 600m and not included in the tribal sub-plan be recognized as backward hill areas.
• The main objectives of the program were to promote the development of horticulture, plantation agriculture, animal husbandry, poultry, forestry, and small-scale and village industries to enable the utilization of local resources. 
• The plans were developed in accordance with the topographical, ecological, economic, and social conditions of the hill areas.

Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP)

• Programme initiated during the Fourth Five Year Plan to provide employment and create productive assets in drought-prone areas.
• Initially focused on labor-intensive civil works, later expanded to include irrigation projects, land development, afforestation, grassland development, and basic rural infrastructure (electricity, roads, markets, credit, and services).
• Reviewed by the National Committee on Development of Backward Areas, noting its focus on agriculture and ecological balance restoration.
• Emphasis on creating alternative employment opportunities due to ecological degradation from marginal land use, using integrated watershed development.
• Planning Commission (1967) identified 67 drought-prone districts, with areas demarcated based on 30% irrigated land criterion by the Irrigation Commission (1972).
• Drought-prone areas include parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Western Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu; Punjab, Haryana, and north-Rajasthan are protected by irrigation.
• Bharmaur tribal area (Himachal Pradesh) inhabited by Gaddi community, facing harsh climate, low resources, and socio-economic deprivation.
• Development began in the 1970s with inclusion in 'scheduled tribes' and designation as an Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) under the Fifth Five Year Plan.
• Focused on improving quality of life through transport, communication, agriculture, and social services; significant infrastructure development mainly in Holi and Khani areas.
• ITDP led to increased literacy rates, improved sex ratio, and reduced child marriage; female literacy rose from 1.88% (1971) to 65% (2011).
• Shift from subsistence agriculture to pulses and cash crops cultivation, though traditional methods persist; pastoralism declined with only one-tenth of households practising transhumance; many Gaddis migrate for wage labor during winter.

Sustainable Development

• Development describes the state of societies and the process of changes they experience, determined by interaction between human societies and bio-physical environment, technology, and institutions.
• Post World War II, development was synonymous with economic growth measured by GNP and per capita income, but led to increased poverty due to unequal distribution.
• 1970s: Redefined to include redistribution with growth, well-being, living standards, health, education, equality of opportunity, political and civil rights.
• 1980s: Development included social and material well-being for all in society.
• Sustainable development emerged from environmental awareness in the late 1960s, influenced by publications like ‘The Population Bomb’ (1968) and ‘The Limits to Growth’ (1972).
• Brundtland Report (1987) defines sustainable development as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs."
• Focuses on ecological, social, and economic aspects, and conservation of resources for future generations, aiming for the development of humankind with a common future.

Case Study: Indira Gandhi Canal (Nahar) Command Area

• Indira Gandhi Canal, previously known as the Rajasthan Canal, was conceived by Kanwar Sain in 1948 and launched on 31 March, 1958.
• It originates at Harike barrage in Punjab and runs parallel to the Pakistan border in the Thar Desert (Marusthali) of Rajasthan.
• The total planned length of the canal system is 9,060 km, serving the irrigation needs of 19.63 lakh hectares of cultivable land.
• About 70% of the area is irrigated by a flow system and 30% by a lift system.
• The construction of the canal system was carried out in two stages. Stage-I covers Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, and the northern part of Bikaner districts, with a cultivable command area of 5.53 lakh hectares.
• Stage-II covers Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Churu districts, with a cultivable command area of 14.10 lakh hectares.
• Lift canals originate at the left bank of the main canal, while flow channels are located on the right bank.
• Irrigation in the Stage-I command area was introduced in the early 1960s, while Stage-II began receiving irrigation in the mid-1980s.
• The introduction of canal irrigation in this dry land transformed its ecology, economy, and society.
• The availability of soil moisture for a longer period and various afforestation and pasture development programs under CAD have greened the land, reducing wind erosion and siltation.
• Canal irrigation has transformed the agricultural economy of the region.
• Soil moisture, previously a limiting factor, now supports a greater cultivated area and increased cropping intensity.
• Traditional crops like gram, bajra, and jowar have been replaced by wheat, cotton, groundnut, and rice, resulting in a tremendous increase in agricultural and livestock productivity.

Measures for Promotion of Sustainable Development

• The ecological sustainability of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project has been questioned due to the environmental degradation observed over the past four decades.
• Achieving sustainable development in the command area requires a strong focus on ecological measures.

Measures

Strict Implementation of Water Management Policy:

• The canal project envisages protective irrigation in Stage-I and extensive irrigation of crops and pasture development in Stage-II.
• This involves carefully controlling water distribution to ensure efficient use and prevent wastage.

Appropriate Cropping Pattern:

• The cropping pattern should avoid water-intensive crops to conserve water.
• Encourage the cultivation of plantation crops such as citrus fruits, which require less water.

Effective Implementation of CAD Programmes:

• Programmes like lining of water courses, land development and levelling, and the warabandi system (equal distribution of canal water) should be effectively implemented.
• These measures reduce water conveyance loss and ensure that water reaches the intended areas efficiently.

Reclaiming Affected Areas:

• Areas affected by water logging and soil salinity should be reclaimed.
• This involves taking measures to restore the productivity of these lands and prevent further degradation.

Eco-Development Initiatives:

• Promote afforestation, shelterbelt plantation, and pasture development, especially in the fragile environment of Stage-II.
• These initiatives help in greening the land, reducing wind erosion, and improving the overall environmental quality.

Social Sustainability Support:

• Provide adequate financial and institutional support to land allottees from poor economic backgrounds for land cultivation.
• This helps them sustain their livelihoods and ensures that the benefits of the canal project are equitably distributed.

Economic Diversification:

• Economic sustainability in the region requires the development of not only agriculture and animal husbandry but also other sectors.
• Promote the diversification of the economic base and establish functional linkages between basic villages, agro-service centres, and market centres to create a robust and resilient local economy.

Conclusion

Planning is essential for achieving goals through strategic actions. Unlike traditional trial-and-error methods, planning employs structured approaches to tackle economic development, focusing on specific sectors and regions. Sustainable development balances economic growth with ecological and social needs, ensuring we meet present needs without compromising future generations.