Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002)
The Ninth Plan prepared under the United Front Government was released in March 1998. The same was modified and approved by the National • Development Council in February. 1999, nearly two years after its implementation from April 1, 1997.
The focus of the Ninth Plan was on “Growth with Social Justice and Equality”. It assigned priority to agriculture and rural development intending to generate adequate productive employment and eradication of poverty. It aimed at achieving GDP growth of 7 per cent per annum, since during the eight plan, already a GDP growth rate of 6.5 per cent had been achieved.
Sagozar due to low GDP growth of 4.8 per cent in 1997-98, the National Development Council revised the target in February 1999 to 6.5 per cent on the average for the Ninth Plan. The development strategy envisaged an important role for the private sector and on market forces. Reliance on market forces did not mean that the state has no role to play. But, the state instead of being a regulator should assure the role of a facilitator. However, the state must increase its involvement in the following areas: → To provide education, health care and safe drinking water to the majority of the population, especially in rural areas. to co
To provide economic infrastructure such as irrigation, power, roads, ports, railways, telecommunications etc. Public investment in infrastructure must continue to have high priority, especially in those areas where the private sector’s participation is likely to be limited. Investment needs of the Ninth Plan were estimated at Rs. 21,70,000 crores, out of which the share of the public sector was projected at Rs. 7,26,000 crores (33.4%) and that of the private sector was estimated at Rs. 11,19,000 crores ( 51.6%). This leaves a gap of Rs. 3,25,000 crores. This gap was to be filled up by Foreign Direct Investment and disinvestment of Public Sector Enterprises. Obviously, the Ninth Plan aimed to depend predominantly on the Private sector – Indian as well as foreign.
However, the plan failed to achieve the GDP growth target of 7 per cent and realised only 5.35 per cent average GDP growth.
Here are some notes on tenth fiver year plan.