Karantaka gets 10 pc hike in 2007-08 Annual Plan

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) The Annual Plan outlay for 2007-08 for Karnataka was today finalised at Rs 17,782 crore, a 10 per cent rise over last year's outlay of Rs 16,166 crore.

Talking to newspersons here after meeting Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expressed "satisfaction" with the allocation.

Stating the state had an "impressive record of achievements in the implementation of its plans, Deputy Chief Minister and state Finance Minister B S Yediyurappa said Karnataka had 112 per cent achievement in the Ninth Plan and it was expected to achieve 115 per cent of Plan expenditure in the Tenth Plan too.

The state officials said they had sought greater outlay to meet requirements of backward areas stating as "inadequate" the Rs two crore earlier sanctioned for 39 most backward taluks.

The state has decided to hike the amount giving additional allocation of about Rs 4 crore each during next year.

Mr Yediyurappa said under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) only two cities with 10 lakh population -- Bangalore and Mysore -- were eligible for funds. But the state government has pointed out the need to include all district headquarters with a minimum of five lakh population under the scheme.

UNI