Q. The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan is

  • inclusive growth and poverty reduction
  • inclusive growth and sustainable growth
  • sustainable and inclusive growth to reduce unemployment
  • faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth

Answer: (d) faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth

Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017):
  • The Twelfth Five Year Plan began on April 1, 2012, and will last for five years, from 2012 to 2017. The Twelfth Plan’s slogan is “Faster, Sustainable, and More Inclusive Growth.”
    • It means that the Twelfth Plan aims for faster growth that can be sustained over time, with the benefits of growth reaching the masses.
  • The Government of India’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan was set to reach a growth rate of 9%, but the National Development Council (NDC) accepted an 8% growth rate for the Twelfth Plan on December 27, 2012.
  • During the 12th Five-Year Plan, the government aims to reduce poverty by 10%.
  • The plan intends to improve the nation’s infrastructure projects while preventing bottlenecks of any kind.
  • The paper provided by the planning commission aims to attract private investments of up to $1 trillion in infrastructure growth in the 12th five-year plan, as well as a reduction in the government’s subsidy burden to 1.5 percent of GDP from 2%. (gross domestic product).
    • The UID (Unique Identification Number) will act as a platform for cash transfer of the subsidies in the plan.
  • Objectives:
    • Economic growth
      • The real GDP is growing at an annual rate of 8%.
      • Agriculture is growing at a rate of 4%.
      • Manufacturing is growing at a 10% rate.
      • Every state must achieve a faster rate of growth than that of the 11th plan.
    • Poverty and Employment
      • The poverty rate will be lowered by 10% compared to the end of the 11th plan.
      • In the non-farm sector, there are 5 million new job openings and skill certifications
    • Education
      • The average number of years spent in school will rise to seven.
      • In higher education, there are 20 lakh seats available for each age group.
      • End the gender and social disparities in school enrollment.
    • Health
      • Increase the Child Sex Ratio to 950 by lowering the IMR to 25 and the MMR to 1.
      • Total Fertility Rate (TFR) should be reduced to 2.1.
      • Reduce child malnutrition in the 0-3 age range to half of the NFHS-3 level.
    • Infrastructure
      • Infrastructure investment accounts for 9% of GDP (gross irrigated area). 103 million hectares of land (from 90 million hectare)
      • All communities will have electricity, and AT&C losses will be reduced by 20%.
      • All-Weather Roads Connect Villages
      • National and state highways must have a minimum of two lanes.
      • Dedicated Freight Corridors on both the east and west coasts.
      • Teledensity in rural areas has reached 70%.
      • 50 percent of the rural population will have access to 40 litres of drinking water per day, and 50 percent of all Gram Panchayats will have Nirmal Gram status.
    • Environment and Sustainability
      • Every year, increase green cover by 1 million hectares.
      • Over a five-year period, 30,000 MW of renewable energy will be generated.
      • By 2020, the GDP emission intensity will be decreased to 20-25 percent of 2005 levels.
    • Service Delivery
      • 90 percent of Indian households have access to banking services.
      • Subsidies and welfare payments will be made through the Aadhar-based Direct Cash Transfer Scheme.