Annual Plan for Uttrakhand finailsed at Rs 4,378 crore

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) The Annual Plan outlay for Uttarakhand for 2007-08 was finalised at Rs 4,378 crore, which includes an Additional Central Assistance of Rs 275 crore.

The Plan size was fixed at a meeting in Yojna Bhavan here between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri.

The Additional Assistance would include Rs 175 crore for projects of special interest to the State and Rs 50 crore each for infrastructure related to Kumbh Mela at Haridwar and South Asian Winter Games to be held in the State.

Dr Ahluwalia complimented the State for satisfactory performance during the Tenth Plan period and noted that economic growth was higher than the all India average. He said it was a matter of gratification that against approved outlay of Rs 7,630 crore, expenditure during the plan was Rs 9,784.35 crore.

He asked the State government to give greater emphasis to infrastructure development for sustaining high growth achieved in industrial development. Public-private partnership in development of infrastructure should be encouraged.

He said the State should integrate science and technology in development programmes and initiate an action plan to improve tourism.

Dr Ahluwalia said the Institutional framework needs to be strengthened and private sector participation enhanced for building infrastructure.

Rural health institutions should be revitalised and efforts made to reduce gender gap relating to literacy.

Attention was also drawn by the Planning Commission team to high poverty levels. The State was advised to encourage participatory irrigation management and provide greater emphasis to sanitation.

The Plan Panel made out a case for improving the health indicators of the State.

Briefing the Commission on the development strategy, Mr Khanduri said strict financial discipline in public expenses was being imposed as the State's leadership was against getting into a debt trap.

He said the focus of the government would be on optimum utilisation of land resources and adherence to the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.

Mr Khanduri said the key drivers of growth would be tourism, horticulture, medicinal plants, hydro-energy and bio-technology.

He said employment generation would be the thrust of the State Plan as local people have only marginally benefited from the new industries that have come up in the State.

To make growth more inclusive the State government will work towards addressing the problem of regional imbalance. Infrastructure development will get highest priority with special emphasis on improving connectivity of remote and inaccessible areas.

UNI