The Seventh Plan (1985-90) was formulated under conditions of optimism towards sustained high level growth. Certain measures of liberalisation were initiated in trade & industrial policies.
The main objectives of the Plan were: accelerated growth of food grains production, increase in employment opportunities and improvement in productivity levels.
For the first time, the Seventh Plan placed employment at the centre by incorporating the words: ‘The central element in the development strategy of the Seventh Plan is the generation of productive employment’.
To tackle an estimated number of unemployed (openly unemployed plus severely underemployed in need of alternative jobs) placed at 23 million in 1992, and an expected addition to the labour force of 35 million during 1992-97 and another 36 million during 1997-2002, the Plan set a target of 2.6 to 2.8 per cent annual growth of employment with a view to achieving the goal of ‘employment for all’ by 2002.