Correct option is B
Correct Answer:(b) Increase in inequality
Explanation:
Economic planning in developing nations like India is systematically designed to promote social welfare and structural transformation. A fundamental objective of economic planning is the reduction of income and wealth inequalities, promoting social justice, and inclusive growth.
Information Booster:
⇨ Reduction of Inequalities: A core constitutional and economic mandate of planning is minimizing disparities in income, status, facilities, and opportunities across society.
⇨ Economic Growth: Accelerating the rate of national and per capita income expansion to lift the general standard of living of the population.
⇨ Modernization: Structural transformation involving the adoption of advanced technology in agriculture, manufacturing, and services to boost productivity.
⇨ Self-Reliance: Minimizing external economic dependence through import substitution, export promotion, and domestic capital formation.
⇨ Employment Generation: Creating adequate productive employment opportunities to absorb the expanding labor force and eradicate poverty.
⇨ Social Justice: Ensuring equitable distribution of national wealth so that the benefits of growth reach the most marginalized strata.
Additional Knowledge:
• Option (A) Rapid growth: This is a primary and essential objective of economic planning to ensure expansion of national output and economic capacity.
• Option (C) Modernization of Agriculture: This represents a vital planning objective to ensure food security and release agricultural labor for industrial development.
• Option (D) Expansion of Public Sector: In traditional Indian planning, expanding the public sector was a strategic tool to build infrastructure and prevent concentration of economic power.