Swarajya, August 28, 1965
Mr. A.D. Gorwala in this WEEKLY Opinion quotes the following from Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda’s speech in his constituency:
“Today preparations are being made in the country for the Fourth Five-year Plan, and figures are being thought of for it. But before settling amounts we should examine what the results of the past Five-Year Plans have been. Today the state of affairs is such that money is spent but from that expenditure no money is obtained. The expenditure incurred is useless.
“Plans should be so made that the amount spent on a plan is re-earned during the plan period. We execute our plans by getting large sums from abroad. But in spite of our spending vastly, output does not increase as it should. The amount allotted to any project is generally not spent on it and a large proportion of it is eaten up.
“Among the main reasons for this are the condition of our times, the current behaviour and methods of working of out business class and of those having authority. If this state of affairs continues, where shall we not go, with what evil not collide?
“If wheat did not come from America lakhs of our people would die; of what use then is our freedom?
“In any project where 25 per cent is allotted for construction, 20 per cent is misused. Only 5 per cent is properly spent. On the works of the plan lakhs of tons of cement are supposed to be used. But 50 per cent of these goes into the blackmarket. It goes there only through those having authority.”
After citing this speech (which obviously was in Gujarati and has been translated into English), Mr. Gorwala very rightly asks:
“In the light of this review by this most knowledgeable, experienced, intimately connected and by no means unfriendly source, is there any point in the discussions about the size of the Fourth Five-Year Plan, about whether 24 or 21 or 15 thousand crores should be spent upon it?”
Mr. A.D. Gorwala in this WEEKLY Opinion quotes the following from the Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda’s speech in his constituency:
“Today preparations are being made in the country for the Fourth Five-year Plan, and figures are being thought of for it. But before settling amounts we should examine what the results of the past Five-Year Plans have been. Today the state of affairs is such that money is spent but from that expenditure no money is obtained. The expenditure incurred is useless.
“Plans should be so made that the amount spent on a plan is re-earned during the plan period. We execute our plans by getting large sums from abroad. But in spite of our spending vastly, output does not increase as it should. The amount allotted to any project is generally not spent on it and a large proportion of it is eaten up.
“Among the main reasons for this are the condition of our times, the current behaviour and methods of working of out business class and of those having authority. If this state of affairs continues, where shall we not go, with what evil not collide?
“If wheat did not come from America lakhs of our people would die; of what use then is our freedom?
“In any project where 25 per cent is allotted for construction, 20 per cent is misused. Only 5 per cent is properly spent. On the works of the plan lakhs of tons of cement are supposed to be used. But 50 per cent of these goes into the blackmarket. It goes there only through those having authority.”
After citing this speech (which obviously was in Gujarati and has been translated into English), Mr. Gorwala very rightly asks:
“In the light of this review by this most knowledgeable, experienced, intimately connected and by no means unfriendly source, is there any point in the discussions about the size of the Fourth Five-Year Plan, about whether 24 or 21 or 15 thousand crores should be spent upon it?”
But over and above Mr. Gorwala’s objections, there is a very grave matter to be considered. If Pakistan plans an invasion, and the situation disclosed by it is so serious as indicated by the PM and reported in the papers of 15th August, then what sense does it make to go on with the Fourth Plan or with the language issue or any other internal matter which brings about trouble more than satisfaction to any one? Is this the time to tease the non-Hindi millions with a far-reaching language policy? Is it not the Government’s first business now to put fresh thought into our foreign and defence policies and speed up the diplomacy called for by the situation instead of joining the inter-national crowd that make difficulties for President Johnson and suggesting to him what he should do in Vietnam? We should at least now do, and do with double speed, what we should have done some time ago. Getting into closer touch with the Western Powers and forging a firm treaty of defence should be our aim now, to the exclusion of all other matters. It is a mistake to turn thoughtlessly now to Russian assistance, accepting the latter’s asseverations of eternal friendship at face value and appearing as if we decided to give up America and the West. The rupee payment should not lead us into doing things which should not be done. If the defence situation is grave, surely it must make the Fourth Plan a big unreality, even if we were to discard all the other solid reasons urged in favour of a Plan holiday.
We have been so far using the ‘emergency only to put the wrong people in prison and losing the benefit of their good offices. A grave emergency calls for confessions, however unpleasant, and changes of policy. The late PM set an example for such confessions. The situation demands the postponement of all disputes in internal policies that can be postponed. It calls for suspension of grandiose plans which depend on enormous foreign cooperation and aid. Let us wake up, give up manoeuvreing for party advantages and realize the total gravity of the situation and do our best to meet it. It is not fair to ask the Opposition parties to give up their opposition to proposals because of the emergency. It is Government that should give up pressing and pushing matters through —matters which are out of tune with the gravity of the situation.
