from the Financial Times 27/11/63
India's third 5 year plan is likely to fall short of alnost avery > target when it ends in 1966, judging from an official repert by the Planning Commission published in New Delhi on Nov. 26th. The report, a mid-tom appraisal of the plan, has been placed before Parlinment. It said the a country's planned rate of economic development in the past two yours had fellon off seriously.
It put the blame mainly on set—backs to agriculture caused by two bad harvests, but also referred to “the new burdens and responsibilities" borne since last year's border clash with China. The 200 Page report. showed that the annusl rate of increase in the national income over ths past two years had been only 2,5%,-¢ the expected rise, This had been cancelled out by the population increases, waich!#1s0 estimated at 2.5%, and may be as high as 25 Tie Industrial production incroassd by only 8%, agninst 2 planned avernfu riso of 11%, although somo individual.industriss had registered high expansion rates,
The report said food production had dropped over 2u. tons last year, but prospects for thia year's crop ssemed good, However, Pigures given in the report showed that the price index has risen 8% in tho last nine months, with the bulk of the increase in the price of food, particularly rice ond sugar.