Regional dimensions of India's economy development : proceeding of seminar held at Nainital, India on April 22-24-1982.

In a dynamic and developing economy, modifications in the objectives and goals of development need to be made from time to time, not only to account for imbalances created due to faulty or inadequate policy formulation and implementation but also on account of super-imposition of factors external to the national economy. It, therefore, becomes necessary to review the planning process for national development from time to time to take into account the changing national and inter-national economic scene. In a federal country like ours, it is also vital that facilities for development at a desirable pace are provided to all the constituent units of the Union in a manner such that they are enabled to become healthy and vibrant units of the overall national fabric. With a sound basic infra-structure for growth both in the agricultural as well as in the industrial sectors having been laid down in earlier plans, it is essential that planning emphasis should now shift markedly from macro planning to micro-planning with increasing decentralization of the Plan formulation and implementation processes to the State. District and Block levels.

The conceptualisation and concretization of regional development indicators assumes particular significance in this process of decentralized planning. This subject is not only difficult as an academic exercise but is also controversial in as much as such indicators have generally been utilized by the State Governments in seeking higher quantum of Central assistance on the basis of their relative backwardness. The identitication and analysis of development indicators is, however, vital to the present planning process which must necessarily proceed from the national and State levels to the district, block and village level in concrete terms. Such analysis could reveal not only the differential levels of creation of infra structure in productive and social sectors in different areas, but also extend to levels of utilization of facilities already created and of local natural resources. Such analysis could make local level planning more effective and meaningful.