No need to alter five year growth plan, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia

New Delhi, Nov 25 : Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said that there was no need to alter the country's medium-term growth plan of nine percent over the five years ending fiscal 2011/12.

Ahluwalia said that he expects farm sector output growth at four percent for the fiscal year ending March 2009.

"At the end of this year, we will be able to say, that for the five year period of this Government, we have seen an agricultural growth rate of close to four percent and that is a major step-up from earlier performance which, I think is a significant contribution to inclusivity," he added.

In the fiscal year 2007/08 growth in India's agriculture, forestry and fishing sector outpaced the previous year's 3.8 percent, government data shows.

The annual monsoon between July and September was largely normal though western and southern regions had late rains.

ANI