How the Concept of Inclusive Growth developed in India?
Basically, idea of inclusive growth is already implicit in the Growth and Development. But, inclusive growth found attention mainly because economic growth and development might occur in non-inclusive manner. It was for the first time in 2000-01 when the Government of India started clearly thinking about Inclusive Growth while reviewing the performance of the economic reforms. The government concluded that:
- Though the economic reforms enabled the economy towards faster and higher wealth creation but not everyone was part of it. The benefits of economic liberalization and reforms were reaped only by people equipped with physical and human resources.
- The fruits of economic reforms could not percolate to the disadvantaged and marginalized section of the society. It excluded a big segment of Indian population.
Since 2001, a conscious policy of inclusive growth became centre piece in almost all planning commission documents including the plan documents. The real attention was given in the 11th five year plan (2007-12) documents. This document emphasised on Inclusive Growth as a Growth that included the disadvantaged and marginalised sections of the society, specially, SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities and Women’ in the processes of growth and development. The 12th plan document increased the focus by having its tagline ‘Faster, Sustainable and More Inclusive Growth’.
