Q. The main objective of the 12th Five-Year Plan is (UPSC Prelims 2014)
Answer: faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth
Notes: The correct answer is [D] faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth. This objective represents the final evolution of India's formal five-year planning process before the transition to NITI Aayog.

• 12th Five-Year Plan (2012–2017): The core vision was explicitly stated as "Faster, Sustainable, and More Inclusive Growth." It aimed for an average GDP growth rate of 8%, though this was later revised from the initial target of 9%.
• Key Components of the Objective:
  • Faster Growth: Aimed at accelerating the economic momentum to generate resources for social sectors.
  • Inclusive Growth: Focused on ensuring that the benefits of growth reached marginalized sections, reducing regional imbalances, and improving access to education and health.
  • Sustainable Growth: Emphasized environmental management and the long-term viability of development practices.
• Historical Context: The 11th Five-Year Plan (2007–2012) had the objective of "Towards Faster and More Inclusive Growth." The 12th Plan added the crucial word "Sustainable" to address growing environmental concerns and global climate commitments.
• Comparison with other options:
  • Option [A]: Poverty reduction was a sub-goal but not the primary title objective.
  • Option [B] and [C]: These capture elements of the plan but miss the specific "Faster" and "More Inclusive" terminology used in the official Planning Commission document.

The 12th Five-Year Plan was the last official Five-Year Plan in India. In 2015, the Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog, which shifted the focus toward a "Three-Year Action Agenda," "Seven-Year Strategy," and "Fifteen-Year Vision Document."