TheDaak review

Planning Democracy: Modern India’s Quest for Development, by Nikhil Menon, 2022,  Cambridge University Press, 285 Pages, ISBN: 9781316517338, ₹596

by Dr. Vishal Singh Bhadauriya

In his book titled Planning Democracy, Nikhil Menon extensively examines the complex trajectory of India’s planning institutions, charting their development from the inception of the National Planning Commission (NPC) through its subsequent dissolution and the emergence of the NITI Aayog. It provides  a comprehensive socio-political history of India after independence, with a particular emphasis on the country’s ambitious pursuit of integrating Soviet-style economic planning with Western democratic ideals.

The main aim of Menon’s work is to document the ascent and decline of the NPC, with a particular focus on its importance in shaping India’s trajectory after the colonial period. It, thus, provides a comprehensive account of the development of India’s statistical infrastructure, highlighting the significant contributions made by influential figures such as Professor P.C. Mahalanobis. Additionally, the author addresses the difficulties encountered in reconciling technocratic principles with democratic governance. The narrative is enhanced by the inclusion of descriptions detailing the endeavors undertaken by the government to foster the practice of planning across different platforms, encompassing domains such as education, art, and literature.

Planning Democracy begins with India’s current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from Red Fort for the first time following the 2014 election. Modi’s announcement marked the end of an era which is the book’s central theme – the era of the Planning Commission. It tracks the journey of the planning body from the establishment and later bulldozing of the National Planning Commission (NPC), followed by the establishment of a new body for planning India’s democratic structure, the NITI Aayog in 2015.  

The planning project in post-colonial India was a daring endeavour, blending Soviet-style economic planning with Western democratic principles. This bold experiment epitomized a unique collaboration between two vastly different ideological systems.

Menon describes India’s post-colonial conditions and plans for its new leaders post-independence. As India continued to struggle and revive, different predictions and opinions emerged across the rest of the world. The scope of the Planning Commission is briefly discussed to show how the NPC came into action in March 1950. Even with its rocky start, the body wielded enormous power despite possessing an inherent conflict between technocracy and democracy which the Nehruvian state made concerted efforts to portray these two concepts as harmoniously interconnected. The intricate choreography of political ideologies aimed to depict ostensibly conflicting concepts as inherently harmonious.

Chapter One discusses the establishment of India’s statistical infrastructure linked to planning, the early career of Professor P.C. Mahalanobis, who brought the idea of planned economic governance to India, and the establishment of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Calcutta. It also mentions the contribution of other members of the Indian National Congress in developing the NPC and the establishment of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). Moreover, to carry out large-scale surveys, the National Sample Survey (NSS) was also created in 1950. The impact of planning on statistics led to Mahalanobis, a statistician, shaping the Five-Year Plan, a centralised and integrated economic plan, first launched by Joseph Stalin in the USSR. Later, China and India approved the same idea for economic development in their respective countries. Chapter Two  reveals a mutually influential connection between planning and statistics, resulting in a narrative that resembles the trajectory of a boomerang, specifically within the framework of India’s Second Five-Year Plan. Although the plan’s lack of success was attributed to the negligence of sectors such as agriculture and irrigation, the significance of statistics in the formulation of policies remained prominent.

The enactment of the Indian Statistical Institute Act, resulting from Jawaharlal Nehru’s effective passage of the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, served to reinforce and strengthen the institution’s position and function. The aforementioned legislation conferred autonomous status upon the ISI, thereby establishing it as a nationally significant institution with the authority to confer academic degrees.

Contrary to common intuition, the failure of the Second Five-Year Plan should have emphasised the necessity for enhanced statistical methodologies, rather than diminishing their significance. The shortcomings in the implementation process may be ascribed to a lack of proficiency in effectively incorporating statistical insights, rather than the inherent insufficiency of statistics.

Chapter three notes India’s campaign to acquire technology and computers mainly for storing data.  When enough statistical data had been collected, there was a need to store it safely. This wasn’t possible, unless India was fulfilled in terms of technology. It unveils India’s campaign to acquire its first computer. Unlike other parts of the world, computers were not sought for military purposes in India. Mahalanobis was just not interested in buying computers, but was obsessed with them. Yet, despite pursuing this for over three years, he was left empty-handed.

Menon briefs readers on the eventual arrival of the first computer in India in 1956 and describes its features. Even though the dream of a computer was fulfilled, it was not going to meet the needs of the NSS. Contrary to the knowledge of the Indian government, Mahalanobis, the proponent of computer introduction in India, was paradoxically hindering the advancement of this initiative. The perception of his sympathetic stance towards the Soviet Union during the Cold War played a substantial role in hindering India’s efforts to obtain a digital computer from the United States during the 1950s. After an elaborate tussle involving Mahalanobis, Homi Bhabha, the ISI and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), they finally joined forces. In the early 1960s, Esso Standard Eastern of Bombay installed the country’s first commercial computer.

The two subsequent chapters examine how the state sought to inform citizens about plans to build enthusiasm, participation and a ‘plan consciousness’. The NPC continued to receive sarcastic notices because of their enthusiasm for plans: they even had plans to promote the plans. Various publicity attempts were made to popularise the plans and the government also used education to promote them. They aimed to carve plans into young minds so they could contribute as adults. When formal advertisements, stunts and requests to join in the Five-Year Plan were ineffective, the government decided to reach citizens through art and literature. Journals and novels were published, but most of the population was illiterate, hence, the government hit theatres, music and cinemas. Documentaries, movies and hit songs were made based on promotional tactics. Despite these efforts, the result was not favourable. 

Chapter four acts like Phase Two of the previous chapter, exploring how the government decided to involve more bodies in their plans. And it also delves into the examination of the involvement of state-supported voluntary organizations in the facilitation of the Five-Year Plans and the provision of associated services, in light of the absence of organic public engagement. This analysis explores the inherent contradiction that arises when a state encourages voluntary support for its policies.

After introducing the plans in high schools, the government targeted universities because they wanted the country’s youth on their side. They were tasked with bringing volunteers from villages as shramdatas (donors of labour). This body came to be known as Bharat Sevak Samaj. But there were conflicts over the word ‘Samaj’. The opposition saw this move as a weapon to keep the party cadre mobilised through religion.

The government extensively publicized their plans, targeting institutions from schools to universities and even enlisting sadhus for endorsement. While initially effective due to the sadhus’ spiritual influence, India’s secular nature inevitably sparked controversy. This highlights the complex interplay between technocratic and democratic aspects in planning.

While Menon’s research is commendable, the book’s writing style can be challenging for some readers. The lack of footnotes disrupts the reading flow, making it difficult to track references. Moreover, the book could have benefited from a more in-depth discussion on the Planning Commission’s role after the 1990s economic liberalization. The shift to neo-liberal policies marked a significant change in India’s economic regime, which inevitably impacted the function and status of the Planning Commission. The book could have explored this transition in greater detail, shedding light on the factors that led to the NPC’s demise.

Furthermore, while the NITI Aayog’s establishment is discussed, a deeper analysis of its performance, objectives, and current status would have added value. Has the NITI Aayog been successful in achieving its goals? How does it compare to the NPC, especially in the context of the current political landscape?

Planning Democracy is a significant contribution to the study of India’s socio-political history. Menon’s detailed account of the nation’s planning bodies provides valuable insights into their evolution and impact. However, a more critical engagement with the post-1990s era and the NITI Aayog’s current status would have enriched the narrative. 

The NDA-led BJP Government  finally scrapped the NPC entirely in 2014 to replace it with a new public policy think tank, the NITI Aayog. Restoring the previous planning system was nonetheless part of the election manifesto for Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 general election and Mamta Banerjee in the West Bengal state election, with Indian National Congress leadership considering the NITI Aayog ‘a noisy and incompetent intermeddler. ^[1]

Menon is thorough with his research and details. He tracks whole past events, making this book appropriate for study and research, especially for those interested in the evolution of Indian socio-political history after independence. the book is a must-read for those keen on understanding the intricacies of India’s planning journey and its implications for the nation’s democratic structure.

References

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^[1]  We will deliver. Congress Manifesto 2019. (2019). Retrieved January 15, 2023, from https://manifesto.inc.in/ p.38