ECONOMIC TRENDS

ECONOMIC PLANNING

At the dawn of Independence the over-all economic position of the district was not sound. Like the nation as a whole the district had suffered, during the Second World War immediately followed by partition of the country. There was distressing poverty and ignorance. Industrial as well as agricultural production was at a very low level. The rural agriculturist was engaged in subsistence farming which could hardly meet his wants. In the wake of this state of affairs the Government of India launched upon the development programme under the five year plans.

The First Five Year Plan which was started in 1951 aimed at meeting certain urgent problems and at strengthening the economy at the base. The Second Plan had to carry forward the process initiated in the First Plan with more emphasis on larger increase in production, investment, employment and had to accelerate industrial progress needed to make the economy more dynamic and more progressive. The scope of development in the Third Plan was further expanded taking into consideration the success and failures of the earlier two plans. The Third Plan represented the first phase in a scheme of long term development extending over the next fifteen years or so. During this phase of development it is aimed to make the economy self-sufficient, self-reliant and self-generating. The investment in the plan was meant to accelerate the rate of growth in income and employment and to expand social services and amenities. It was estimated that during the Third Plan period the output potential in Maharashtra State would increase by 30 per cent.

During the First Five Year Plan Wardha district formed a part of the Madhya Pradesh State. During the Second Five Year Plan the district formed part of the Bombay State. Besides several schemes which benefited the State as a whole, there were a number of schemes the benefits of which accrued to this district. The plan provision on such schemes was of the order of Rs. 337.75 lakhs against which an expenditure of Rs. 270.40 lakhs was incurred. The plan provision and expenditure on various schemes during the Second Plan (1956-61) is given in the following statement.

(Rupees in Lakhs)

Third Five Year Plan.—

Of the total of 499 schemes under the Third Plan of the State, 67 schemes are at the district level benefiting Wardha district. The schemes in the district involve a total plan outlay of Rs. 298.54 lakhs. The District Plan essentially gives stress on the development of agriculture by providing Rs. 110.93 lakhs or about 37.16 per cent of the total outlay, while community development and co-operation account for 21.1 per cent of the total outlay. The plan outlay earmarked for Social Services is 32 per cent and that on transport and communications, and industry and mining is 7.1 and 2.1 per cent, respectively.

With the introduction of the Panchayat Raj under the measures of democratic decentralisation and formation of Zilla Parishad in 1962, some of the district level plan schemes have been transferred to the Zilla Parishad for implementation. Of the total outlay of 298.54 lakhs, an amount of Rs. 162.56 lakhs is allocated to the schemes under the State sector (in the district) and Rs. 135.98 under the Zilla Parishad.

The following statement gives the statistics of the actual expenditure on various schemes under the State sector and Zilla Parishad sector under the Third Five Year Plan.

(Rupees in Lakhs)

Thus an amount of Rs. 270.39 lakhs or about 90.6 per cent of the total plan provision of Rs. 298.54 lakhs was actually spent during the Third Plan. The progress of expenditure was lower in the first two years of the Plan which was accelerated during the third year. The plan provisions for Agricultural Programmes were utilised to a very great extent in the last year of the plan under special kharif and rabi campaigns. These campaigns were intended to bring about an increase in agricultural production.

Wardha Plan.

To commemorate the stay of Mahatma Gandhi at Sewagram it was mooted by the Sarva Sewa Sangh in August 1960 to have a development project for the overall development of Sewagram and the surrounding area. Accordingly the Agro-Industrial Plan for Wardha tahsil was prepared by the District Development Council. The Sarva Sewa Sangh considered this and suggested that the project should be formulated only after a detailed survey of resources in consultation with the peoples representatives, so that it will be an area needs plan. Shri Vinoba Bhave who inspired the project urged that the plan should be imbued with the ideals of antyodaya [By antyodaya is meant the uplift of the last and the lowest.] cherished by Mahatma Gandhi. It was also decided that it should cover the entire district. Accordingly the Gokhale Institute of Poona, was requested to conduct a socio-economic survey of the district. The Gokhale Institute carried out the survey in collaboration with the Regional Planning Institute, Wardha between June and September of 1961.

The studies of the Institute brought about consolidated block programmes which formed the basis of a district plan envisaging an outlay of Rs. 461.62 lakhs for a period of five years, as against the State plan outlay of Rs. 288.23 lakhs on the district level schemes. The Zilla Pari-shad increased the plan outlay to Rs. 864.23 lakhs in order to accommodate conflicting local claims, in the field of minor irrigation, roads, general education and public health. The State Government, the Zilla Parishad and the Planning Commission of India decided that the Wardha Plan should be regarded as a pilot project for testing and evolving methods of planning and implementation at the district, block and village levels. It was suggested that the Government should prepare immediately a two year plan within the frame work of a long term (ten year) plan, and should provide for an additional outlay of Rs. 0.50 lakh for the next two years viz., 1964-65 and 1965-66. It was also agreed to approach the Planning Commission for assistance on specific programmes like rural works, rural industries, labour and construction, co-operatives, special investigations and pilot training. The Heads of Departments were requested to assist the Zilla Parishad and district staff in working the best schemes possible. An Additional Development Commissioner was deputed by the State Government to co-ordinate their work. In this way the year 1963-64 paved a concrete way for the formulation of the Wardha District Development Plan, a unique experiment in area planning and planning from below, based on the essentials which required immediate attention for development.

In the residuary period of the Third Five Year Plan in Wardha district an additional District Development Plan, known as 'Wardha District Development Plan' was evolved and it began to be implemented from the year 1964-65. The Wardha District Development Plan consists of 48 schemes divided under four major heads, viz., (1) agricultural programmes, (2) co-operation and community development, (3) transport and communications, and (4) Social services, with a plan provision of Rs. 96.00 lakhs. The plan emphasises more on agricultural development, and a sum of Rs. 54.72 lakhs or 57 per cent of the total plan outlay, has been provided for it. A considerable emphasis has been laid on the betterment of transport and communications by providing an outlay of Rs. 26 lakhs or 27.1 per cent of the total plan outlay. For the betterment of socio-economic conditions of the people, a provision of Rs. 7 lakhs has been made which is 7.3 per cent of the plan outlay. Community development and co-operation account for a plan provision of Rs. 7.28 lakhs.

Of the total number of 48 schemes, 16 schemes were not implemented for want of Government sanction or on the grounds of technical difficulties.

A total expenditure of Rs. 31.63 lakhs which is about 32.9 per cent, of the plan outlay had been incurred at the end of the second year of the Plan, i.e. 1965-66. The low percentage of financial progress is due to non-implementation of the 16 schemes out of the total of 48 schemes included in the plan.

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