The Five Year Plans

From Welfare to Development to Empowerment

Over the year the planning strategies (line of action) for women have shifted from Welfare to Development and to Empowerment. It is this shift which needs to be critically examined if we wish to understand the role of the state in women's empowerment.

First to Fifth Five Year plans

The approach of the First Five Year Plan (1951-56) was to provide adequate services to promote the welfare of women so as to enable them to play their legitimate role in family and

community. Here, the emphasis was on welfare and hence women were treated as mere recipients of incentives, which the state chose to give. The plan called for setting up of special organizations both at the central and state levels for promoting the welfare of women. The Central Social Welfare Board was set up in 1953. It has its branches in the states. These boards have been supporting and conducting a number of programmes, mainly with a thrust on (with an emphasis on) economic advancement.

The approach of the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Five Year Plans was in no way different from that of the First Five Year Plan. The welfare approach still guided policies and programmes, which were launched for women's development. Only two special schemes were introduced during this period. These were, the condensed Course of Education and Women and Socio- Economic Programme introduced during the second plan (1956-61) and Working Girls Hostels and Short Stay Homes introduced during the Fourth Plan (1969-74).