Who was the Prime Minister during most of India's significant early Five Year Plans (1951–1964)?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Solution: The correct answer is Jawaharlal Nehru.
Explanation:
☛ Jawaharlal Nehru served as the first Prime Minister of independent India from 15 August 1947 until his death on 27 May 1964.
☛ Under his leadership, the Planning Commission was set up in March 1950, with the Prime Minister acting as its ex-officio Chairman.
☛ Nehru steered India's early economic strategy through the First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956), the Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961), and most of the Third Five-Year Plan (1961–1966).
☛ His economic vision emphasized a mixed economy, public sector expansion, rapid industrialization, and modern infrastructure like major dams, which he called the 'temples of modern India'.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956): Based on the Harrod-Domar model, it primarily focused on agriculture, irrigation, and power projects.
☛ Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961): Formulated under the guidance of P.C. Mahalanobis, it focused heavily on basic and heavy industries.
☛ Lal Bahadur Shastri: Served as Prime Minister from 1964 to 1966, overseeing the latter part of the Third Five-Year Plan and initiating the National Dairy Development Board.
☛ Indira Gandhi: Served as Prime Minister during the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Plans; she oversaw the nationalization of 14 major commercial banks in 1969 and launched the 'Garibi Hatao' slogan.
☛ Morarji Desai: Served as Prime Minister from 1977 to 1979; his government ended the Fifth Five-Year Plan a year early and introduced the Rolling Plan (1978–1980).
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Who was the first ex-officio Chairman of the Planning Commission? → Jawaharlal Nehru
☛ In which year was the Planning Commission of India established? → 15 March 1950
☛ Who was appointed as the first Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission? → Gulzarilal Nanda
☛ Which Five-Year Plan was based on the P.C. Mahalanobis model? → Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961)
☛ On which date was the Planning Commission officially replaced by NITI Aayog? → 1 January 2015