BOMBAY: In all their investigations and conclusions, the planners envisage the whole of India as one economic unit, including Indian States. They believe that planning is not inconsistent with a democratic organisation of society.

The authors’ [of the Tata-Birla Plan] approach to the problem of distribution of the national income aims at the objective that the fruits of enterprise and labour should be fairly appropriated among all contributors and not unjustly withheld by a few from the many.

No plan of economic development would, in their opinion, be worth considering if it does not help in the eradication of poverty and the raising of the standard of living of the masses. To this end, suppression of inequalities of income on the one hand and the provision of a National minimum standard of living are provided for.

The inequalities of wealth and property must be redressed and the basis of ownership must be widened if an equitable distribution of income in future is to be secured. Imposition of death duties and reform of land tenures are the principal means which the authors suggest for reducing inequalities of wealth and property…

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2020