Chhattisgarh Annual Plan fixed at Rs 5,379 crores

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) The Planning Commission today approved the annual plan of Rs 5,379 crore, 26 per cent more than the previous year, for Chhattisgarh.

The Annual Plan was approved after wide ranging consultations Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had with Chief Minister Raman Singh, who made a presentation on plan proposals of the State.

The deliberations were attended by Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh Amar Agrawal, Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Commission Deenanath Tiwari, Chief Secretary R.P.Bagai and Additional Chief Secretary Shivraj Singh.

The approved plan emphasised growth of social sector with 90 per cent increase in health and 25 per cent increase in education. A Central aid of Rs 24 crore has been given for crop diversification and promoting drip irrigation and sprinkler in the State.

Deputy Chairman Dr Ahluwalia praised the Chief Minister for State Government's progress in collections of revenues from tax sources. He also expressed happiness at the State Government spending only 16 per cent on interests against the national average of 26 per cent and more than 30 per cent in some states.

UNI YA PK DB2032