The Minimum Needs Programme (MNP) was introduced in the first year of the Fifth
Five Year Plan(1974–78), to provide certain basic minimum needs and improve the living standards of people.
It aims at "social and economic development of the community, particularly the underprivileged and underserved population". It also promoted equality as from now poor will be able to get basic needs.
Components
The programme includes the following components:
* Rural health
* Rural water supply
* Rural electrification
*
Elementary education
Primary education is the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary education. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first schools and middle schools, de ...
*
Adult education
Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...
*
Nutrition
Nutrition is the biochemistry, biochemical and physiology, physiological process by which an organism uses food and water to support its life. The intake of these substances provides organisms with nutrients (divided into Macronutrient, macro- ...
* Environmental improvement of urban
slum
A slum is a highly populated Urban area, urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty. The infrastructure in slums is often deteriorated or incomplete, and they are p ...
s
* Houses for landless labourers
Principles
Two basic principles are observed during the implementation of Minimum Needs Programme:
* the facilities under MNP are to be first provided in those areas which are at present underserved so as to remove disparities among different areas
* the facilities under MNP should be provided as a package to an area through intersectorial area projects to have a greater impact.it will provide good care to the poor people
Objectives
Rural health
The objectives to be achieved by the end of the
Eighth Five Year Plan are:
* One peripheral health centre for 30,000 population in plains and 20,000 population in tribal and hilly areas
* one sub-centre for a population of 5000 people in the plains and for 3000 in tribal and hilly areas
* one community health centre for a population of 100,000
The establishment of peripheral health centres, their up gradation also come under MNP.
Nutrition
* to extend support of nutrition to 11 million eligible persons
* to expand special nutrition programme to all ICDS projects
* to consolidate mid-day meal program and link it to health, potable water and sanitation.
References
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Economic planning in India
Economic history of India (1947–present)
Rural development in India