Agriculture versus industry debate
Topic: Politics of Planned Development · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Politics of Planned Development"
Meaning
This was an early argument in Indian planning over what should come first. One side said farming and rural poverty. The other said rapid growth of heavy industry. The First Plan (1951-56) favoured agriculture. The Second Plan (1956-61) moved the focus to heavy industry. Some critics said putting industry first was a mistake. Others wanted agriculture-related industries, such as those making fertiliser or farm tools, instead of heavy industry.
Example
The Second Plan drew money away from farming to build heavy industry. Critics warned this would lead to food shortages. Those fears came true in the droughts of 1965-66, when India had to import food. The hardship fed the Congress's setback in the 1967 elections.
Don't confuse with
- Urban bias: this is one specific criticism made in the debate, that planning favoured cities and industry over villages. The debate itself is the wider question of what should come first.