​The focus areas of the first and second five-year plans were:

Correct option is C

​The correct answer is (c) Agriculture and Industry sectors

Explanation:

The First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956) and the Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961) focused on two major sectors of the economy:

1. First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956) - Focus on Agriculture
• The primary emphasis was on agriculture, irrigation, and rural development to tackle food shortages and increase self-sufficiency in food grain production.
• Major projects: Bhakra Nangal Dam, Hirakud Dam, and Damodar Valley Corporation were started to improve irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.
• The Community Development Programme (1952) was launched to improve rural infrastructure.
2. Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961) - Focus on Industry
• Under the guidance of P.C. Mahalanobis, this plan prioritized rapid industrialization, focusing on heavy industries and the public sector.
• Steel plants in Bhilai, Rourkela, and Durgapur were established.
• The Industrial Policy of 1956 emphasized state-led economic growth and import substitution to reduce dependency on foreign goods.

Information Booster:

The Five-Year Plans of India were inspired by the Soviet model of economic planning and aimed at self-reliant and inclusive growth.

History of Planning in India:

Pre-Independence Economic Plans

1.      Visvesvaraya Plan (1934)

• Proposed by M. Visvesvaraya
• Focused on shifting workers from agriculture to industries

2.      FICCI Proposal (1934)

• Suggested by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
• Stressed the need for state intervention in the economy

3.      Congress Plan (1938)

• Formed under Subhash Chandra Bose, chaired by Jawaharlal Nehru
• Aimed at ensuring a decent standard of living
• Estimated a minimum income of Rs. 15-25 per capita per month (pre-war prices)

4.      Bombay Plan (1944)

• Proposed by industrialists like Tata and Birla
• Focused on:
• Industrial growth
• State intervention in strategic sectors
• MSME support
• Full employment
• Reducing income inequality and regional disparities

5.      Gandhian Plan (1944)

• Authored by Sriman Narayan Agarwal
• Emphasized small-scale production, self-sufficient villages, and cottage industries

6.      The People’s Plan (1945)

• Drafted by M.N. Roy
• Aimed at meeting basic needs within a 10-year timeframe

Post-Independence Economic Planning

• India adopted a state-led, inward-looking economic model
• Focused on import-substitution industrialization and extensive regulation

Five-Year Plans (1951-2017)

• Implemented for systematic economic development
• Objectives: Balanced growth, poverty reduction, and industrialization
• Regulated by the Planning Commission

Transition to NITI Aayog (2015)

• Planning Commission replaced by NITI Aayog in January 2015.
• NITI Aayog introduced:
• 3-year Action Agenda
• 7-year Medium-Term Strategy
• 15-year Vision Document