Which of the following steps promoted the growth of the economy as a whole by stimulating the development of industrial and tertiary sectors?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) Planning
· Planned development began post-independence with the First Five-Year Plan in 1951.
· Planning directed investments into infrastructure, heavy industry, and services.
· Helped establish PSUs, IITs, and dams leading to sectoral growth.
· The Planning Commission allocated resources as per national priorities.
· Tertiary sectors like banking, transport, and communication also expanded.
· It laid the foundation for self-reliant industrialization.
Information Booster:
• India adopted a mixed economy model.
• Five-Year Plans guided economic policy until 2017.
• Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015.
• The Second Five-Year Plan focused on heavy industries.
• Tertiary sector now contributes over 50% of India’s GDP.
• Major services: IT, trade, tourism, education, banking.
Additional Information:
• Green Revolution – Boosted agricultural output, not industry.
• Independence – Enabled planning, but itself wasn’t a policy tool.
• Colonial rule – Exploitative, led to deindustrialization and economic drain.