The Twelfth Five Year Plan of India ended on 31 March 2017. A quick appraisal of the print media on and around this date reveals that very little note was taken of this and the significance of it was almost entirely missed. One news report even referred to the Twelfth Plan as the last of the series, as if the reference was to the end of some TV serial!

Of course, the death sentence to planned economic development was delivered soon after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government assumed power in 2014. The announcement of ending the five year plans and the Planning Commission was made with a lot of bravado as if some glorious achievement was being announced. This was not contested seriously by any leading opposition party, including the Indian National Congress. This also shows to what extent the Congress itself has moved away from its Nehruvian legacy, notwithstanding the lip service.