Here we are providing Class 12 Political Science Important Extra Questions and Answers Chapter 3 Politics of Planned Development. Political Science Class 12 Important Questions are the best resource for students which helps in class 12 board exams.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 Important Extra Questions Politics of Planned Development

Politics of Planned Development Important Extra Questions Very Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Which are the two models of development? Which model of development was adopted by India? (C.B.S.E. 2013)
Answer:
The two models of development are liberal- capitalist model and the socialist model. The Socialist model was adopted by India.

Question 2.
Differentiate between the capitalist and the socialist models of development. (C.B.S.E. 2014)
Answer:
The difference between the capitalist and the socialist models of development are as follows:

  1. The capitalist model believes in open competition in the market, while the socialist model emphasizes state control over the production and distribution system.
  2. The capitalist model does not believe in granting permission or Licence System, while in the socialist model, permission or license is granted to the factory owner.

Question 3.
Mention any two merits of the Green Revolution. (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2013)
Answer:

  1. The major achievement of the Green Revolution was to boost the production of major cereals viz. wheat and rice.
  2. As a result of the Green Revolution, the crop pattern in India has undergone significant changes.

Question 4.
How many Five Year Plan has been completed so far?
Answer:
12 Five Year Plan has been completed so far. The term of the 12th Five Year Plan was from April 2012 to March 2017.

Politics of Planned Development Important Extra Questions Very Short Answer Type (2 Marks)

Question 1.
What is meant by planned develop¬ment? (Sample Paper)
Answer:
Planned development means to develop a design or plan for development.

Question 2.
Mention the main objective of the Second Five Year Plan. (Imp.) (Sample Paper, C.B.S.E. 2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The main objective of the Second Five Year Plan was to enhance the growth of Industrial development.

Question 3.
Who was P.C. Mahalanobis? (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2009)
Or
What was significant about P.C. Mahalanobis? (C.B.S.E 2013)
Answer:
The second five-year plan was drafted by a team of economists and planners under the leadership of P.C. Mahalanobis.

Question 4.
Who was popularly known as the ‘Milkman of India’? (C.B.S.E. 2013)
Answer:
Verghese Kurien.

Question 5.
What was the ‘Bombay Plan’? (C.B.S.E. 2013)
Answer:
The ‘Bombay Plan’ was a joint proposal of big industrialists (1944) for setting up a planned economy in the country.

Question 6.
What is meant by Decentralised Planning? (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2012, 2014)
Answer:
Decentralized planning meant planning which is approachable by the common man. It involved people directly in the developmental activities through voluntary citizen’s organizations.

Question 7.
Differentiate between the main objectives of the First and the Second Five Year Plans.
Answer:
There was a big debate whether more importance should be given to Industries or Agriculture. The First Five-Year Plan stressed on development of agriculture while the Second Five- Year Plan stressed heavy industries.

Question 8.
What is meant by geopolitics? (C.B.S.E. 2012)
Answer:
Geo-politics means politics of land territory. According to G.N. Singh, “A science dealing with the influence exercised by physical geography in determining conditions of political life and relation between state.” According to Houshofer, “Geopolitics demonstrates the dependence of all political development on the permanent reality of the soil.”

Question 9.
How was Kerla’s plan based on decentralized planning? (C.B.S.E. Sample Q.P. 2017)
Answer:
Kerala’s plan was based on decentralized planning because peoples directly involved in development activities through voluntary citizen organizations. The officials took the initiative to involve people in making plans at the Panchayat, block, and district level.

Question 10.
Why does development have different meanings for different sections of the people? (C.B.S.E. 2017)
Answer:
Different sections of the people have different meanings of development. For example, the iron or resources lie in some of the most underdeveloped and pre-dominantly tribal districts of the Orissa state. The state government passed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development and global demand for steel. The tribal people fear that the setting up of industries would cause displacement from their homes and livelihood. They were also having the fear that mining and industry would pollute the environment. So, they protested and demanded the cancellation of the agreement.

Choose the correct answer :

Question 11.
Who said, “Planning is a way of organizing and utilizing resources to maximum advantage in terms of defined social ends”?
(a) K.T. Shati
(b) Planning Commission of India
(c) Dr. Rajinder Prashad
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(b) Planning Commission of India.

Question 12.
In India, planning was conceived as the main instrument of:
(a) Political development
(b) Cultural development
(c) Social development
(d) Socio-economic development.
Answer:
(d) Socio-economic development.

Question 13.
How many plans have been completed so far in India?
(a) Twelve
(b) Six
(c) Eight
(d) Four.
Answer:
(a) Twelve.

Question 14.
The Planning Commission in India was set up in :
(a) 1953
(b) 1957
(c) 1960
(d) 1950.
Answer:
(d) 1950.

Question 15.
The Chairman of the National Development Council is :
(a) President of India
(b) Finance Minister of India
(c) Prime Minister of India
(d) Chief Minister of U.P.
Answer:
(c) Prime Minister of India.

Politics of Planned Development Important Extra Questions Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Critically examine the major outcomes of the Indian model of a mixed economy. (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2016)
Answer:

  1. The foundations of India’s future economic growth were laid.
  2. Mega dams like Bhakhra-Nangal and Hirakund for irrigation and power generation were undertaken.
  3. Abolition of the colonial system of Zamindari.
  4. The tenants who worked on someone else’s land were given greater legal security against eviction.

Question 2.
Describe the strategy adopted by the Government of India to promote the Green Revolution. (C.B.S.E. 2015)
Answer:
In the 1960s, India was facing a food crisis due to many reasons. India was dependent on the U.S.A. for food which was putting many limitations on India’s policies. Indian Government decided to make India self-sufficient in food. Hence the government adopted a new strategy for agriculture in order to increase food production. Since the mid-1960s, the traditional agricultural practices were gradually replaced by modern technology.

The use of high-yielding variety seeds and the increased use of fertilizers and irrigation are simply called Green Revolution or modern agricultural technology. As a result of the Green Revolution, the area under improved seeds has gone up from about 15 million hectares during 1970-71 to nearly 75 million hectares in 1995-96. The new varieties are of a short term duration and consequently, instead of growing one crop, two crops and sometimes even three crops are grown.

Question 3.
Write a note on the mixed economy.
Answer:
The economy is generally considered of two types. One is a capitalist economy and the other is a socialist economy. A mixed economy is based on the co-existence of these two types of economy.

In most of the poor countries of the world, a mixed economy prevails. A mixed economy is an economy where there is public and private ownership of the means of production. Production is undertaken for both welfare and profit motive. Production in the private sector is a for-profit motive while in the public sector, it is for a welfare motive. Thus, the pattern of mixed economy is the co-existence of public and private sector units.

Question 4.
Examine the major outcomes of the Green Revolution. (C.B.S.E. Sample Q.P. 2017)
Or
Evaluate any four benefits of the ‘Green Revolution’. (C.B.S.E. 2018)
Answer:

  1. The major achievement of the Green Revolution was to boost the production of major cereals viz wheat and rice.
  2. As a result of the Green Revolution, the crop pattern in India has undergone significant changes.
  3. The green revolution largely increased the growth of the local manufacturing sector which created new jobs and contributed to the country’s GDP.
  4. India became self-sufficient in food and India was in a position to pay back all loans it had taken from the World Bank for the purpose of the Green Revolution.

Question 5.
List any two merits and two demerits of the Green Revolution. (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2014)
Or
Explain any two merits and two demerits each of the Green Revolution. (C.B.S.E. 2015)
Answer:
Merits of Green Revolution

  1. The major achievement of the Green Revolution was to boost the production of major cereals viz wheat and rice.
  2. As a result of the Green Revolution, the crop pattern in India has undergone significant changes.
  3. The green revolution largely increased the growth of the local manufacturing sector which created new jobs and contributed to the country’s GDP.
  4. India became self-sufficient in food and India was in a position to pay back all loans it had taken from the World Bank for the purpose of the Green Revolution.

Demerits of Green Revolution

  1. Green Revolution had widened the gap between poor and small farmers and rich landlords.
  2. Green Revolution has proved beneficial to the medium category peasants because they can receive the advantage of mediation between small farmers and rich landlords.

Question 6. State any two differences between the First Five Year Plan and the Second Five Year Plan. (C.B.S.E. 2013)
Answer:

  1. In the First Five Year Plan, priority was given to the development of agriculture. The target of increased production of foodgrains, jute, and cotton was mainly achieved by bringing more land under cultivation. But in the Second Five Year Plan (1956-61), the top priority was accorded to the setting up of ‘Socialistic Pattern of Society’ on the basis of Industrial Policy statement 1956. In the Second Plan, the major thrust was to accelerate the process of industrialization by laying emphasis on basic and heavy industries.
  2. The success of the First Five Year Plan was primarily due to a good harvest in the last two years of the plan. During the Second Five Year Plan, prices increased by 30% against a decline of 13% during the First Plan.

Politics of Planned Development Important Extra Questions Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Describe briefly the composition and four functions of the Planning Commission of India. (Imp.) (C.B.S.E. 2011, Outside Delhi)
Or
How was the Planning Commission of India set up? Mention its scope of work. (C.B.S.E. 2010, Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The Planning Commission at the center is the apex body in the planning machinery of the country. The Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a resolution of the Government of India. In 1950, Planning Commission was set up under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

Organization of Planning Commission: The composition of the Planning Commission has kept on changing according to the requirements of the time and whims of the government. The first Planning Commission consisted of a Chairman, a Deputy Chairman and five members. The Prime Minister is the Chairman and the Planning Minister is the Deputy Chairman. First Planning Commission was essentially composed of politicians.

Later on, Pt. Nehru added certain members from the public such as administrators, economists, and technical experts. Thug, the Planning Commission came to combine the political and non-political men. In addition to Chairman and Deputy Chairman, there are ten to twelve other members. Among them, there are five to six ministers, e.g., Minister for Human Resources Development, Finance Minister, Home Minister, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of State for Planning. Besides, there are a few more members.

The Commission is divided into three major parts:
(a) Programme Advisors
(b) General Secretariat and
(c) Technical Division.

Functions of the Planning Commission

The resolution which created the Planning Commission mentioned the following functions of the Planning Commission :

  1. Assessment of Country’s Resources. To assess the material, capital, and human resources of the country, including technical personnel, and to investigate the possibilities of augmenting such of those resources as are found to be deficient in relation to the nation’s requirements.
  2. Formulation of Plans. To formulate a plan for the most effective and balanced utilization of the country’s resources.
  3. Determine Priorities. To define the stages of the Plan and propose the allocation of resources on the determination of priorities. The Ninth Plan has given priorities to the power sector, transport, and communications.
  4. To indicate the factors which are tending to retard economic development and determine the conditions in view of the current social and political situation should be established for the successful execution of the plan.
  5. To suggest machinery for securing the successful implementation of each stage of the plan.
  6. To appraise from time to time the progress made in the execution of each stage of the plan and to recommend necessary adjustments in policy and measures as may be necessary for the light of such appraisal.
  7. To make such interim recommendations on the basis of the prevailing economic conditions, current policies, etc., as may appear to be appropriate.
  8. To examine such specific problems as may be referred to it for advice by the Central and State Governments.

Besides the above-mentioned functions, another most important task of the Planning Commission is that of formulating the plans for development and assessment of their performance. Originally, Planning Commission was set up as an expert advisory body only. But with the passage of time, the Planning Commission has built for itself a status of high prestige and commanding influence; In view of the enormous increase in the powers of the Planning Commission, it has come to be known as the Economic Cabinet.

In January 2015, NITI Aayog was established in place of the Planning Commission.

Question 2.
Elaborate any three arguments are given by the critics against the mixed model of the economy adopted by India. (C.B.S.E. 2019)
Answer:
Following are the arguments given by the critics against the mixed model of the economy adopted by India.

  1. Critics argue that the planners have not provided sufficient space for the private sector to grow.
  2. Enlarge public sector have their own interests as they invested more and they create hurdles for the private small sectors.
  3. State policies also put restrictions on the export items and domestic market due to lesser competition do not have the incentive to improve their products. The state instead of helping the poor, help the private sector to make more profit and thus create a new ‘middle class’ with high salaries and perks.

Question 3.
Write a note on Niti Aayog.
Answer:
Niti Aayog with a new structure and focus on a policy is the replacement of 64 years old planning commission, which was seen as a vestige of the socialist era. The replacement of the Planning Commission with the new institution more relevant and responsive to the present economic needs and climate in the country had long been demanded and expected. Since 1990, the Government had been dismissive of the Planning Commission, because after the dismissal of licensed government this commission was working like an advisory-board only.

Former Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had called the commission a bunch of jokers. Even Manmohan Singh and former planning commission Deputy Chairman like K.C. Pant tried some attempts to explore some changes. Former Centre-minister, Kamal Nath named this commission as ‘ArmChair Advisor’ and Parking plot for bureaucrats. Arun Maria, a member of the Planning Commission who headed the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in India, recommended the changes in the structure, role function, and resources.

Narendra Modi, as the Chief-minister Gujrat had many times pointed the short-comings of the planning commission that is why in May 2014, Narendra Modi led the National Democratic Alliance government to announce the replacement of the 65 years old planning commission with a new institution called Niti Aayog. He called upon an important meeting of Chief-ministers in Delhi on 7 December 2014 and stressed upon greater participation of the state governments in policy-making stressing on India’s diversity and plurality, the Aayog will foster a spirit of co-operative federalism with the sole principle of developing a pro-people, pro-active and participative development agenda stressing on empowerment and equality.

Composition of Niti Aayog Niti Aayog-National Institution for transforming, India is composed to ensure greater participation of state governments in policy making-thus fostering co-operative federalism-and will be more attuned to the nation’s contemporary needs.

  1. Chairperson- Prime-minister
  2. Vice-Chair-person- Nominated by the prime- minister
  3. Chief-Executive officer (C.E.O.) – nominated by prime-minister.
  4. Governing Council-Chief ministers and Lt. Governors of Union Territories.
  5. Regional Council (formed on a need basis)- Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors of Union-Territories
  6. Full time-members- Maximum five-members.
  7. Short term members- Two ex-officio-members
  8. Ex-officio members-Four central ministers Special Invitees- Experts, specialists, practitioners with domain knowledge.

On January 5, 2015, the great economist Arvind Panagariya was appointed as Vice-chairman of the Niti Aayog and then Sindu Shree Khullar was appointed as the first CEO of the Niti Aayog. On December 29, 2015. Sh. Amitabh Kant appointed as CEO of Niti Aayog after the retirement of Sindushree Khullar on 5th August 2017. Sh Rajiv Kumar appointed as vice-chairman of Niti Aayog.

Departments

  • It works like an assembly of interstates problems and their relations etc.
  • It checks and plans long-term plans.
  • Thirdly, it deals with direct benefit, transfer, and UIDAI.

Aims of Objectives: The objectives of the new body is to evolve a shared vision of national development priorities sectors and strategies. Being an incubator of ideas for effective governance would be the core mission of NITI Aayog. following are the objectives of the new national agenda’.

  1. Recommend strategical and technical advice on elements of policy and economic matters.
  2. Develop a mechanism for village level plans and aggregate these progressively at higher levels of government.
  3. Serve as a ‘think-tank’ a directional and policy dynamo for the government and will provide suggestions for the economy including the private sector.
  4. Create a knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurial support system for national and international experts and other partners.
  5. Offer a platform for the country’s development agendas.
  6. Focus on the technology of implementation of programs and initiatives.

Working: National Institution for Transforming India is-

  1. To evolve a shared vision of national development priorities sectors and strategies with the active involvement of states in the light of national objectives.
  2. To foster co-operative feudalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the states on a continuous basis, recognizing that strong states make a strong nation.
  3. To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these progressively at the higher levels of government.
  4. To ensure, on areas that are specifically referred to it, that the interest of national security are incorporated in economic strategy and policy.
  5. To pay special attention to the sections of our society that may be at risk of benefiting adequately from economic progress.

Niti Aayog will work under the supervision of chief-ministers and specialists in different fields. Aayog will ensure greater participation of state- governments in policy-making thus fostering co-operative federalism-and will be more attuned to the nation’s contemporary needs.

The first meeting of Niti-Aayog took place on 6th Feb 2015 and was attended by prime-minister, Narendra Modi, finance minister Arun Jaitly and vice-chairman Sh Arvind Panagariya. Other full-time members V.K. Saraswat, Nitin Gadkari, Thawar Chand Gehlot, G.N. Vajpayee, Rajiv Kumar, Rajiv Lal, R. Vaidyanathan Parath Sarthi Soam, Subeer Gokarn, Mukesh Burani, etc. also attended the meeting.

The second meeting of Niti Aayog took place on 15th July 2015, in which PM desired that center and states must move together to end poverty, states units should be the focus of all developments as a part of team India. The council held consultations on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act. The Prime-minister welcomed and thanked the chief minister for their participation and suggestions for the development of rural areas and greater prosperity for the farmers. He also asked for suggestions for the success of Betti Bachao, Betti Paradao Plan, Smartcity, Digital India, Skill India, Make in India Swach Bharat, etc. plannings.

The opposition criticized the decision to establish NITI Aayog calling it a gin mickey and renamed it as Anati ordurniti Aayog. However, the working of a new institution can be judged only after it has functioned for a sufficiently long time. The efficiency of the Niti Aayog will depend crucially on the quality of experts and how they are allowed to work, Also-the success of the ‘Niti Aayog’ lies in restoring the balance between the technical and political (federal) drivers of the planning process.

It is much too early to think on talk in terms of administrative capacities unless, it trickles down, achache din’ will hardly be felt by the common man. Niyat and Niti’ are inextricably intertwined, the best that can be said for the Aayog is that we should give it sufficient’ time to reveal itself and the out¬come contingent on it. The Aayog’s functioning could make or break the economic development of India in the future.

Question 4.
What was Green Revolution? Examine any two positives and two negative consequences of the Green Revolution. (Imp.)
Or
What was the Green Revolution? Which areas did it affect the most? Mention two positive and two negative consequences of the Green Revolution. (Sample Paper)
Answer:
In the 1960s, India was facing a food crisis due to many reasons. India was dependent on the U.S.A. for food which was putting many limitations on India’s policies. Indian Government decided to make India self-sufficient in food. Hence the government adopted a new strategy for agriculture in order to increase food production. Since the mid-1960s, the traditional agricultural practices were gradually replaced by modern technology.

The use of high-yielding variety seeds and the increased use of fertilizers and irrigation are simply called Green Revolution or modern agricultural technology. As a result of the Green Revolution, the area under improved seeds has gone up from about 15 million hectares during 1970-71 to nearly 75 million hectares in 1995-96. The new varieties are of a short term duration and consequently, instead of growing one crop, two crops and sometimes even three crops are grown.

The major benefits of the Green Revolution were experienced mainly in northern and northwestern India. Unprecedented enthusiasm has prevailed among farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Western U.P. for the new wheat variety seeds and a situation developed in which the demand for seeds by farmers exceeded the supply.

Economic Results/Positive Consequences of the Green Revolution.

  1. The major achievement of the Green Revolution was to boost the production of major cereals viz wheat and rice.
  2. As a result of the Green Revolution, the crop pattern in India has undergone significant changes.
  3. The green revolution largely increased the growth of the local manufacturing sector which created new jobs and contributed to the country’s GDP.
  4. India became self-sufficient in food and India was in a position to pay back all loans it had taken from the World Bank for the purpose of the Green Revolution.
  5. Green Revolution has helped the growth of capitalist farming in India and has led to the concentration of wealth in the hands of the top 10 percent of the rural population.

Political Results of the Green Revolution.

  1. India became self-sufficient in food and thus India’s prestige increased in the world, especially in the third world.
  2. Green Revolution was a big factor in making Smt. Indira Gandhi and Congress Party more powerful.

Two Negative Consequences of Green Revolution
(i) Green Revolution led to the concentration of wealth in the hands of the top 10 percent of the rural population. The green revolution had widened the gap between poor and small farmers and rich landlords.
(ii) Green Revolution has proved beneficial to the medium category peasants because they could receive the advantage of mediation between small farmers and rich landlords.

Question 5.
Assess any six outcomes of planning in India. (C.B.S.E. Sample Paper 2018)
Or
Assess the outcome of the early phase of planned development in India. (C.B.S.E. 2019)
Or
Describe any three outcomes of early initiatives for planned development in India. (C.B.S.E. 2019)
Answer:
After independence, India adopted economic planning for the development of the people of India. In fact, there was a consensus on the planned development.

For planned development, Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a simple resolution of the Government of India. The Planning Commission opted for Five Year Plans. The First Five Year Plan was started in 1951 with the main emphasis on agriculture including investment in Dam and irrigations. The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) stressed mainly heavy industries. Rapid industrialization was the main aim of the Second Five Year Plan. Following are the outcomes of planning in India:

  1. Through planning the foundations of India is future economic growth were laid.
  2. Some of the heavy industries were Started.
  3. Planning enhances the economic growth of the country.
  4. Land Reforms lake place through planning.
  5. Through planning the growth of manufacturing was increasing.
  6. India becomes self-sufficient in food.

im-1

Question 6.
Look at the above clipping of the Hindustan Times. You will agree that the agricultural conditions of India went from bad to worse in the 1960s. In the light of this, answer the following questions: (Sample Paper)
(a) How did India solve its problem of food shortage?
Answer:
India solved its problem of food shortage through Green Revolution. Agriculture was modernized and a good variety of seeds were used.

(b) Is India now sufficient in food production? State the reason for your answers.
Answer:
India is now almost self-sufficient in food production.

Question 7.
Study the cartoon given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: (C.B.S.E 2017)

im-2

(i) Identify and name the person who is holding the balancing beam between the public sector and the private sector.
Answer:
The person who is holding the balancing beam between the public sector and the private sector is India’s first prime-minister Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru.

(ii) Why has a big tilt towards the public sector been shown in the cartoon?
Answer:
A big tilt towards the public sector has been shown in the cartoon because at that time most leaders were in favor of the public sector.

(iii) How did the over-emphasis on the public sector adversely affect the Indian economy?
Answer:
Due to lack of competition, the over-emphasis on the public sector adversely affect the Indian economy.

Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired Candidates only, in lieu of the above questions

(i) Distinguish between the public sector and the private sector with the help of at least one example each.
Answer:
In the public sector, the government is holding control over it e.g. Railway. Whereas in the private sector the real control lies with a private person or company and the example Reliance company.

(ii) Keeping in mind the Indian context, which type of economy would you prefer and why?
Answer:
Keeping in mind the Indian context, a mixed type of economy—public as well as private, is the most beneficial type of economy, through which both public and private sectors are benefited.

(iii) Globalisation has promoted which type of economic sector?
Answer:
Globalization has promoted the private type of economic sector.

Question 8.
Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: (C.B.S.E. 2019)

India did not follow any of the two known paths to development Elements from both these models were taken and mixed together in India. That is why the Indian economy was described as a ‘mixed economy’.
(i) Name the two models/paths to development.
Answer:
Two models of the path to development are
(a) Capitalist Model
(b) Socialist model

(ii) Why was either of the two models not fully accepted by India? Give at least one major reason for each.
Answer:
Both the models are not fully accepted by India because in the capitalist model the development is entirely left to the private sector, whereas in the socialist model production is controlled by the state and private property is abolished. In India elements from both these models are taken and mixed and that is why it is called ‘mixed economy’.

(iii) Highlight any two features of India’s mixed economy based on the above said, two models.
Answer:
(a) For the mixed economy in India, first of all, the government nationalized the Banking system and also abolished the ‘privy purse’.
(b) India encourage industrialization for the economic growth of the country.

Politics of Planned Development Important Extra Questions HOTS

Question 1.
What is Planning?
Answer:
“Planning is,” defined by Terry, “selecting and relating of facts and the making and using assumptions regarding the future in visualization and formulation of proposed activities necessary to achieve the desired results.” Thus, Planning means to act with purpose or to make efforts to achieve pre-conceived objectives and goals. It implies co-ordination on means and ends.

Question 2.
Why is Planning Commission called an extra-constitutional body?
Answer:
The Planning Commission of India is not established by an Act of Parliament nor as part of a constitutional provision. It is established by a cabinet resolution in March 1950. That is why it is sometimes called an extra-constitutional body, which in theory is an advisory committee of the cabinet.

Question 3.
Name two main advantages of having Economic Planning. (D.B. 1991)
Answer:

  1. Economic Planning awakens the feelings of national interests among the people.
  2. Full exploitation of all resources is possible only in Economic Planning.
  3. In Economic, Planning attempts are made to achieve the target within a definite period.

Question 4.
How many Five Year Plans have been completed so far?
Answer:
In India (till now) 12th Five Year Plans have been completed. The time period of the First Five Year Plan was 1951 to 1956. 2012 to 2017 was the time period of the 12th Five Year Plan.

Question 5.
In which year Planning Commission was established and who was the first chairman of the Planning Commission?
Answer:
The Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a resolution of the Government of India. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission.