HP seeks liberal financial assistance from Planning Commission

Shimla, Sep 6 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today sought liberal financial assistance from the Planning Commission to the state for strengthening its infrastructure and harnessing the identified hydel potential to generate additional income for its developmental activities.

''The state is in the process of strengthening its infrastructure for which vast sum of money is required,'' he told the visiting Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission during an informal meeting with him here last evening.

Mr Singh said the Commission should remember that developmental needs of hilly people were different with the people of the other states and it should adopt separate parameters for the state.

Himachal has been spending more money on developmental activities compared to other neighbouring states and the Commission should compensate it with liberal financial grants, he said.

He said the state was in the process of harnessing the identified hydel potential to generate additional revenue for its developmental requirements.

Hydel projects of about 7,000 MW were under execution in joint venture, public and private sectors, while several hydel projects were likely to be allotted soon, he said.

The Chief Minister said equity participation was being ensured in the projects besides free power, proper rehabilitation and resettlement policies for the people ousted from their lands and upfront money for the allotment of projects.

He claimed that the state had witnessed rapid development during the last four and a half year ever since the Congress Government took over power in the state.

Besides, Himachal had maintained strict financial discipline and curtailed unproductive expenditure and ensured proper utilisation of the public money, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chairman of the Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia lauded the state's achievements in all the major sectors, saying that he would take up the issues raised by the Chief Minister at appropriate level.

UNI