Who among the following is known as the architect of Indian planning?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-II (General Ability) Official Paper-I (Held On: 03 Sept, 2023)

Answer 1

The correct answer is P.C. Mahalanobis.

Key Points

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was an Indian scientist and statistician.
- He served in the Planning Commission of India from 1955 to 1967, where he applied his mathematical reasoning to Indian industry.
- Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was an eminent statistician, best known for founding the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1932.
- He also developed the Feldman–Mahalanobis model, a neo-Marxist model of economic development, which was employed in India's Second Five-Year Plan, which promoted the rapid industrialization of the country. P.C. Mahalanobis is known as the architect of Indian planning.
- He was also honored with many awards including Padma Vibhushan.

Additional Information

The first attempt to calculate the national income of India was made by Dadabhai Naoroji in 1867–68, who estimated the per capita income to be ₹20. The first scientific method was made by Professor VKRV Rao in 1931-32 but it was not very satisfactory.
The first official attempt was made in 1949 by the National Income Committee headed by Professor PC Mahalanobis.
According to the National Income Committee Report (1954), India's national income in 1948–49 was ₹ 8710 crore and per capita income was ₹ 225.
In India, the Central Statistical Organization (1949), now renamed as the Central Statistical Office (CSO), is preparing national income.