WB CM calls for all inclusive growth and employment

New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here today the draft Approach Paper to the Eleventh Plan must provide a framework for an inclusive growth and set specific targets for creation of employment.

Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meet, Mr Bhattacharjee said recent experience has been that though Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth reached around eight per cent, employment in organised sector --both in public and private-- has declined.

He said the agriculture sector can absorb additional labour through scientific management of water resources and value addition in agriculture and horticulture sector.

He said there is a pressing need for the creation of modern storage facilities such as cold chain and marketing infrastructure.

The state government would require adequate support for establishing cold chain facilities and modern markets, including setting up of Terminal Markets and creating modern storage facilities at ports and airports.

Mr Bhattacharjee also demanded a 75 per cent Central assistance for flood protection schemes.

He said rain water harvesting should be taken up very seriously to hold as much water as possible.

The Chief Minister regretted there is practically no programme at present to tackle abject urban poverty and unemployment.

He pointed out the tax concessions given by the Centre to states like Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh are highly discriminatory in relation to units being set up in North Bengal and urged that the same tax concessions be given to all industrial units that are set up in the region.

Mr Bhattacharjee said all centrally sponsored schemes in the state list should be transferred to the state government along with funds without any further delay. This would speed up the decentralisation initiative.

He said the problem of Ganga-Padma erosion has been a constant threat to Bengal's economy and livelihood. The rivers coming from Bhutan cause floods in North Bengal. Similarly, the river Ichamati linked with Bangladesh causes floods in North 24 Parganas district.

He pointed out the state government has approached the Planning Commission for preparing a comprehensive detailed project report for the development of the Sundarbans spread over the North and South 24 Parganas.

He said the Sundarbans consisting of 102 islands of which 54 are inhabitated, is the largest delta in the world.

It has a population of over 40 lakhs. The biggest problem of this region is the coastal erosion where the embankments are spread over a length of 3500 kms.

Maintaining the bio-diversity with its mangrove forests and rich variety of wild life, promoting eco-tourism by inviting tourists from home and abroad would require huge investment and it would not be possible to carryout those without central assistance.

UNI BKS PA DS1458