Why should plans have goals?
Plans should have clearly specified goals because a plan spells out how the resources of a nation should be put to use. Goals provide direction and help achieve specific objectives within a specified period of time.
Due to limited resources, a choice has to be made in each plan about which goals are to be given primary importance. Having clearly defined goals ensures that planners can balance conflicting objectives and that the policies of the plans do not contradict the overall objectives like growth, modernisation, self-reliance and equity.
Explanation
The textbook explains that a plan must have some general goals as well as specific objectives to be achieved within a specified period. The four main goals of five year plans in India were growth, modernisation, self-reliance and equity. Since resources are limited, planners need to prioritise certain goals in each plan. Having clear goals helps ensure that policies do not contradict these objectives and allows planners to balance goals that may sometimes be in conflict with each other.