aterial supply, low labor productivity, and generally inferior
quality of product. Extensive discussion of these problems in the
official press indicates that government efforts toward reducing the
magnitude of these problems are slow in bearing fruit, despite programs
for vocational training and intensive campaigns of political
indoctrination aimed at generating productive enthusiasm and innovative
initiative among workers and managers. A major campaign is being waged
to eradicate artisan traditions and to replace them with industrial
production line methods. The basic difficulty in achieving greater
efficiency lies in the continuing severe shortage of skilled manpower
and of personnel with adequate training in the economics and mechanics
of industrial production.

Because of the underlying pricing methods, officially reported data on
total industrial production in value terms overstate the actual rate of
growth attained. Substantial industrial progress is, nevertheless,
indicated by physical production data for a number of commodities (see
table 12). Since production had started from nothing or from very low
levels in the early post-World War II years, the rates of growth in
output were substantially higher during the 1950s than in the following
decade.

The highest rates of increase during the 1960s, ranging from five to
three times the initial volume, were achieved in the production of
copper, electric power, and cement. Increases of from 69 to 80 percent
were attained for coal, oil, and iron-nickel ore. Production of textiles
and footwear grew by more than half, and that of knitwear more than
doubled. A substantial advance was also made by the food-processing
industry. Least progress was made in the production of cigarettes and
bricks--only about 6 to 7 percent--and the output of timber actually
declined from 6 million to 5 million cubic feet. Most of the mining
output and a substantial share of the food industry production are
exported.

Rapid electrification of the country has been a major goal of the
leadership. Electrification is intended to meet the needs of industrial
development and help attain a higher standard of living in rural areas.
A crash program has been underway to bring electric power to every
village, even in the remotest areas. This project was originally
scheduled to be completed in 1985, but the date has been advanced to
November 8, 1971, the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of the
rul