Requirements for Effective Development Planning

There is general agreement in the developing countries that accelerated and continuous growth cannot be achieved so long as blind confidence is placed in the spontaneous and self-regulating forces of laissez-faire liberalism. Problems which need to be solved in these countries are so numerous that an adequate and efficient policy of economic and social development can be pursued only on the basis of comprehensive development planning. There are, of course, developing countries which can be considered as show-cases of development without the benefit of a formal development plan (but guided by co-ordinated action through budget and specific governmental policies), while other countries with plans have failed to reach even modest targets of development. It may be possible to do without a formal plan, but it is not possible to avoid taking decisions in the socio-economic field and analysing their future implications. It is my contention that for achieving accelerated growth in developing countries, integrated development planning is a necessary condition, though not a sufficient one.