Madhya Pradesh’s Annual Plan hiked by 23 pc, pegged at Rs.35,500 cr.

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

Bhopal: Annual Plan of Rs.35,500 crore has been sanctioned for Madhya Pradesh for year 2013-14. This is 23 percent more than last year.

The annual plan size for Madhya Pradesh was finalised following discussions between Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Planning Commission of India Vice-Chairman Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi on Wednesday. Planning & Finance Minister Raghavji and State Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Babulal Jain were also present on the occasion.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his aides holding discussions with the Planning Commission of India Vice-Chairman Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and other officers about the state’s Annual Plan for the year 2013-14 in New Delhi on Wednesday.

At the meeting, Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Dr. Ahluwalia reportedly said that Madhya Pradesh has done well in development and expenditure has been quite satisfactory. He specially lauded public-private participation in development of physical and social infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh. He lauded the fact that over 50 projects have been taken up under PPP mode in Madhya Pradesh, an official spokesman said.

Dr. Ahluwalia said that Madhya Pradesh’s average gross domestic product has been 9.4 percent during 11th Plan, which is very encouraging and positive trend. During the Five-Year Plan, Madhya Pradesh’s agriculture growth rate increased by 6.9 percent, industrial sector 9.6 percent and 10.6 percent increase has been registered in service sector, which is more than target and all-India average. He advised Madhya Pradesh to pay more attention to culture and tourism sectors. Referring to some socio-economic indices, he said that per capita income of Madhya Pradesh must increase further. He laid emphasis that literacy rate should be increased further and gap in the number of boy and girl students’ reduced during 12th Plan. He also stressed the need for creating employment opportunities through non-agriculture activities and reducing malnutrition in children and anaemia in women.

At the meeting, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sought cooperation from the commission for adequate allocation of coal blocks and coal linkages apart from forest-related clearances for power projects. He sought the commission’s cooperation in continuing existing funding pattern under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan and increasing Central share in viability gap funding. He said that a target has been set to make Madhya Pradesh power-surplus by year 2014. In the state, power will be supplied for 24 hours to domestic and 10 hours for agriculture consumers.

Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is paying attention to solar, wind, hydel and bio-mass energies for meeting power demand. Country’s biggest solar power plant will be inaugurated in the state in August. Five solar energy parks in the state are being developed under PPP mode. The Chief Minister said that state’s growth rate is 10.02 percent. Similarly, state’s agriculture growth rate is also highest in the country. It is expected to be 16 percent this year.

The Chief Secretary said that Industrial Promotion Policy 2012 has been implemented to increase investment under which a number of incentives have been given to investors. Rules and procedures have been simplified. Four new industrial corridors are being developed in the state.

The Chief Minister informed that work of constructing 9,000 km long roads and 35 rail over-bridges has been taken up under PPP mode. Besides, work of upgrading 13 industrial areas and development of 27 green field industrial areas has been started. Their cost is Rs.3,350 crore. Besides, works costing Rs.2,367 crore have also been taken up during 12th Plan for drinking water, infrastructure, sanitation, reservoirs and preservation of heritage buildings.

Salient features of Plan

In the annual plan for year 2013-14, 40 percent funds have been allocated for social sector, 11 percent for tourism and road construction, 10 percent for power, 10 percent agriculture-related activities and 18 percent for remaining sectors.

Similarly, increase of 55 percent has been made in the outlay of Cooperatives Department, 47.4 percent of Tribal Welfare Department, 44.6 percent for Scheduled Castes Welfare Department and 41.2 percent for Backward Classes Welfare Department. Similarly, increase of 44.4 has been made in the budget of Forest Department, 33.9 of Industries Department, 30.9 percent for water and sanitation. (pervezbari@eth.net)