Development Planning and Development Administration
| Author | Keshav C. Sharma |
| Published date | 01 June 1967 |
| Date | 01 June 1967 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085236703300204 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Development Planning and
Development Administration
by
Keshav C. SHARMA.
UDC 330.114.2 : 338.984.3
Administration : A strategic factor
aspects in economic development (3). Con-
in economic development
ferences of planners in Asia, Africa, Latin
America, have recorded their conviction that
The success of national development plan-
administrative reform is essential to successful
ning depends, to a significant degree upon the
development planning. Typically, the delega-
effectiveness of administration. K. William
tes at the 1961 conference of Asian planners,
Kapp was not exaggerating when he wrote
&dquo; emphasized that the deficiencies in the ad-
that, &dquo; a quantitatively inadequate or qualita-
ministrative machinery constituted a major
tively defective system of public administration
obstacle to the effective implementation of
will not merely retard the development process
development plans. The reform of administra-
but may defeat the entire development effort
tive structure, its strengthening and .reorganis-
in an even more decisive manner than any
ation had to be carried out urgently if the
temporary shortage of capital or an unfavour-
administration as a whole of each country was
able monsoon &dquo; (1).
to be fully geared to the enormous obligations
It has been realised by
which the
now, at least in
planned development placed upon
theory, that besides its technical and economic
it &dquo; (4). Academicians and administrative ana-
aspects on which attention has hitherto been
lysts have pointed out that the failures in
concentrated, planning requires proper empha-
development efforts have been due to lack
sis
of
on administrative and organisational aspects
appreciation of administrative implications
involving political and social implications.
(5). The plan documents of different coun-
Development planning is not only a matter of
producing well written documents with econo-
metric models or input-output analysis, it is an
(3) See especially Administrative Aspects of Plan-
activity that involves intricate political
ning in Developing Countries, UN meeting of Ex-
proces-
perts on Administrative Aspects of National De-
ses, requires far-reaching changes in social orga-
velopment Planning, held at Paris, 8-19 June 1964.
nisation, beliefs, attitudes and revitalising the
Also see Planning for Economic Development, Vol.
administrative tools for implementation.
II, Studies of National Planning Experience by Pri-
vate Enterprise and Mixed Economies (Part 1) and
Emphasizing the crucial role of public ad-
Centrally Planned Economies (Part 2), UN, New
ministration for economic development efforts,
York, 1965, and World Economic Survey 1964
(Part I : Development Plans : Appraisal of Targets
the Secretary-General of the United Nations
and Progress in Developing Countries, Part II :
pointed out as early as 1950, the beginning
Current Economic Developments) UN, New York,
of the ‘ planning era’, that &dquo; any systematic
1965.
efforts towards economic development must be’
(4) Econoruic Bulletin for Asia and Far East, UN,
December 1961, p. 80.
preceded by, or coupled with efforts to make
(5) The studies of Albert Waterston and A. H.
more effective the government machinery &dquo; (2).
Hanson have made a significant contribution to the
Since then various United Nations reports have
understanding of administrative implications of plan-
emphasized the importance of administrative
ning process, which must provide the developing
countries with a ’
break-through ’ to make their
planning more ’
realistic ’ and implementation more
’
effective ’.
Waterston’s extensive study, first of
(1) K. William Kapp, " Economic Development,
its kind, Development Planning : Lessons of Expe-
National Planning and Public Administration ",
rience (IBRD), Johns Hopkins Press, 1965), derives
Kyklos, Vol. XIII, Fasc. 2, 1960, p. 172.
from about 100 countries, useful ’ lessons ’. A. H.
(2) Official records of the Economic and Social
Hanson’s intensive study, The Process of Planning :
Council, eleventh session, quoted by David S. Brown,
A Study of India’s Five Year Plans 1950-1963,
" The Key to Self-help : Improving the Adminis-
Oxford University Press 1966, which also is first
trative capacities of Aid-receiving Countries ", Public
of its kind, points out the need to realise the limi-
Administration Review, Vol. XXIV, No. 2, June
tations imposed by social and political ’ realities ’.
1964, pp. 67-68.
Besides these two authors, whose works should be
122
tries have given due recocnition to the factors
significance of the administrative factors, not
of administration.
Pakistan’s Planning Board
much concrete action has been taken with
forecast at the time of its very first Five-year
regard to the introduction of structural, pro-
Plan that, &dquo; the inadequacies of Pakistan’s ad-
cedural or organisational changes in adminis-
ministrative machinery will operate as the most
tration, to suit the requirements of develop-
serious single impediment to the maximum
ment planning. The planners and administra-
economical use of country’s financial and ma-
tors lay down series of improvisations’ as if
terial resources (and) the pace of implementa-
these are self-executory ! The result has been
tion of economic and social programmes is
’ administrative lag’, a gap between the pro-
likely to be governed... more by capabilities
mises of planners and the performance by the
of nation’s administrative and technical orga-
existing administrative machinery.
nisation (than by) the magnitude of ressour-
ces &dquo; (6). India also in its
According to a United Nations document,
very first Five-year
&dquo; The increase in the
Plan mentioned that &dquo; in all directions the
variety, .number and com-
plexity of functions that have to be performed
pace of development will depend largely upon
the quality of public administration, the effi-
by the modern State has resulted in an admin-
istrative
ciency with which it works and the co-operation
lag. A serious imbalance exists be-
tween
which it evokes &dquo; (7). What
aspirations and performance, between
was laid down
the needs to be met and the
in India’s second Five-year Plan holds good
adequacy of the
administrative machinery to
even to-day for the entire underdeveloped ~
carry them out.
This imbalance constitues
world, &dquo; While the
a major obstacle to
area of agreement on mat-
national
ters of policy is considerable, doubt exists
development&dquo; (10). Another United
Nations
whether in its
document made a similar observation
range and quality administrative
earlier
action will
by pointing out that, &dquo; one of the prin-
prove equal to the responsibilities
assumed by the central and state governments...
cipal characteristics of underdeveloped areas
&dquo;
is the imbalance between
It is likely that
aspirations and needs
as the plan proceeds difficult
issues will relate
on the
less
one hand and material advancement
to matters of policy and
and administrative
approach,
maturity on the other &dquo; (11).
more to questions of administration
and organisation &dquo; (8). &dquo; Experience shows &dquo;
Waterston, examining the planning activity
wrote the former head of the United Arab
undertaken by different countries, reveals that
Republic’s central planning agency, &dquo; that far
&dquo;
there have been more failures than successes
reaching improvements in public administra-
in the implementation of development plans &dquo;
tion are required if the goals of economic and
(12). What is even more disturbing says he,
social development are to be reached &dquo; (9).
&dquo; the situation seems to be worsening instead
of improving as countries continue to plan &dquo;
The Administrative Lag and the Gap
(13). The United Nations has reported that
between promise and performance
&dquo; the actual growth in income and output of
Though much has been said by the planners,
the developing countries during the first part
academicians, and administrators regarding the
of the nineteen sixties has generally not been
sufficient to offer assurance that the target of
the Development Decade will be reached.
considered indispensable for planners and adminis-
For the developing countries as a whole, the
trators, several other economists have emphasized
annual rate of
the
growth in gross domestic pro-
significance of administrative implications. J.
K. Gailbraith considers " a reliable
duct over the first four
apparatus of go-
years of the present
vernment and public administration " so essential
decade amounted to 4 per cent. Instead of
to development that he would deny the possibility
the acceleration that was. hoped for, this de-
of economic growth without it. See his " Positive
noted a deceleration over the pace of advance
Approach to Economic Aid ", Foreign Affairs,
recorded in the nineteen fifties...
(April 1961), XXXIX, No. 3. One of the challeng-
Expressed
ing books on development proposes that investment
in per capita terms, output during recent years
priorities be measured by their effect in increasing
executive
decision-making capacity.
See A. O.
Hirschman, The Strategy of Economic Development
(New Haven, Yale University Press, 1958).
(10) A Handbook of Public Administration : Cur-
(6) The First Five Year Plan, 1955-1960, Govern-
rent Concepts and Practice with special reference
ment of Pakistan, Planning Board, pp. 91-9.
to Developing Countries, UN, New York, 1961,
(7) The First Five Year Plan, Planning...
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