Montek seeks concensus on 11 Plan Approach

New Delhi, Dec 8: On the eve of the NDC meeting, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today expressed the hope that the Approach Paper to the Eleventh Plan, the sole item on the agenda of the meeting tomorrow, will find acceptability among the coalition partners of the UPA government as well as others, including the state governments.

In an informal chat with newspersons here, Dr Ahluwalia said there was a national consensus on a policy framework to achieve a nine per cent growth rate during the Eleventh Plan period (2002-07). The views of all Chief Ministers on strategy have been considered in the formulation of the document to be placed before the NDC for its approval, he said.

Dr Ahluwalia statement indicated was that the Plan Panel has not just worked out a document but formulated a broad development model that should find acceptability among all political stake holders.

Dr Ahluwalia said contentious issues on which there was lack of consensus would not affect plan targets. "The thrust is to have an implementable approach, rather than a document", he said.

The Approach Paper proposes a two pronged-strategy of faster growth, which is to be more inclusive. It sets a target of an average of 9 per cent GDP growth in the next plan period, accelerating from around 8 per cent at the end of the Tenth Plan to 10 per cent by the end of the Eleventh Plan. It emphasises the fact that growth is a means to achieve an end, which should be defined in terms of multi-dimensional economic and social objectives to ensure inclusiveness.

The Paper, therefore, fixes a number of monitorable targets for various sectors which should be achieved in the Eleventh Plan.

It also focusses on the need for faster reduction in poverty and greater attention to employment generation and proposes a strategy for doubling the growth rate in agriculture, providing expanded access and better delivery in health and education and propelling double digit growth in manufacturing, with special emphasis on labour intensive sectors.

Dr Ahluwalia said policies have been outlined in a manner to create an investor friendly climate in the States, which were now competing for domestic and foreign investment.

The document has already got the approval of the Full Planning Commission and Cabinet. After the NDC meeting, the Eleventh Plan document will be finalised. Commission sources say this should be ready by July, 2007.

They, however, say the Approach Paper can be the guiding document for formulating future policies.

The sources said Dr Ahluwalia will aim to seek a political consensus on critical issues like agriculture, employment generation, especially skill development, and a comprehensive policy relating to the energy sector.

He will try to seek pro-active involvement of the States in the development effort, especially in the health sector as it falls in the domain of State governments.

In finding a solution to the financial crunch, Dr Ahluwalia will seek greater involvement of the States. For instance, the popular Mid Day Meal Scheme for school children has a funding pattern of 75:25(Centre: States), but the Commission would want a funding pattern of 50:50 basis.

Observers say in an attempt to achieve consensus among the various stakeholders in the political establishment, Dr Ahluwalia has avoided even reference to contentious issues such as disinvestment and financial sector reforms in the the Approach Paper.

UNI