<P> Garibi Hatao desh bachao ("Abolish poverty, save the nation") was the theme and slogan of Indira Gandhi's 1971 election bid and later also used by her son Rajiv Gandhi . The slogan and the proposed anti-poverty programs that came with it were designed to give Gandhi an independent national support, based on rural and urban poor, which would allow her to by - pass the dominant rural castes both in and out of state and local government; likewise the urban commercial class . And, for their part, the previously voiceless poor would at last gain both political worth and political weight . </P> <P> The programs created through garibi hatao, though carried out locally, were funded, developed, supervised, and staffed by Government officials in New Delhi and Congress Party officials . All in all, garibi hatao did little and accomplished less: only about 4% of all funds allocated for economic development went to the three main anti-poverty programs, and precious few of these ever reached the' poorest of the poor', but it did help secure Gandhi's election . It was part of the 5th Five - Year Plan . </P>

The slogan garibi hatao (removal of poverty)was adopted during the period of —–