Question map
In which one of the following sessions of the Indian National Congress was it proposedthat the State shall own or control the key industries, mines and means of transport ?
Explanation
The proposal for the State to own or control key industries, mines, and means of transport was a landmark feature of the Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress held in March 1931 [2]. Presided over by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this session adopted the 'Resolution on Fundamental Rights and Economic Programme' [2]. This resolution, drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru and revised by Mahatma Gandhi, aimed to define 'Swaraj' for the masses by ensuring that political freedom included real economic freedom. It explicitly stated that the state shall own or control key industries and services, mineral resources, and railways. This marked a significant shift towards a socialist-leaning economic policy, reflecting the growing influence of left-wing ideologies within the Congress during the early 1930s. The Karachi Resolution served as a blueprint for the socio-economic principles later enshrined in the Constitution of independent India.
Sources
- [1] https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/12917/1/Unit-11.pdf
- [2] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Period of Radicalism in Anti-imperialist Struggles > 5.4 Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress, 1931 > p. 67