India's economic policy : the gandhian blueprint

The book provides a blueprint for the Janata Party to formulate its policy for the economic reconstruction of the country.

While advocating the Gandhian approach to solve the human problems of poverty and unemployment, Charan Singh traces the present economic ills of the country to the grievous mistake made after independence to go industrial. He therefore suggests that top priority should be given to agriculture accompanied by cottage industries and handicrafts, followed by small-scale industries, and then by heavy industries.

The author's thesis is that unless production of food and raw materials in a country is increased and consequently men are released from agriculture for absorption in non-agricultural sector, there can be no improvement in the living standards of its people. He emphasizes the economic truth that small farms and small industry are more labour-intensive than large farms and large industry. Small units produce more goods per unit of land and fixed capital investment.