The government
is responsible for developing all regions
and states in a balanced way and
removing regional disparties. Most of
the industrial progress was limited to
a few areas like the port towns in the
pre-Independence period. After 1951,
the government laid down in its Five
Year Plans, that particular attention
would be paid to those regions which
were lagging behind and public sector
industries were deliberately set up.
Four major steel plants were set up in
the backward areas to accelerate
economic development, provide
employment to the workforce and
develop ancilliary industries. This was
achieved to some extent but there is
scope for a lot more. Development of
backward regions so as to ensure a
regional balance in the country is one
of the major objectives of planned
development. Therefore, the govern-
ment had to locate new enterprises in
backward areas and at the same time
prevent the mushrooming growth of
private sector units in already
advanced areas.