Himachal Pradesh Annual Plan for the year 2007-08 was fixed at Rs. 2100 crore as against approved plan outlay of Rs. 1800 crore for 2006-07.
The plan was finalized in a meeting between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Planning Commission, Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia in Yojna Bhawan at New Delhi today.
Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister said that plan size has been increased to Rs. 300 crore which was 16.6 percent higher in comparison to last plan. He said that social service has been accorded the top priority in the Plan size and Rs. 902 crore would be spent for Social Service Sector, out of which Rs. 264 crore was allocated for the Education sector, Rs. 222 crore for the Health and Family Welfare Sector including Medical Education, Rs. 293 crore for the Water Supply, Sanitation, Housing and Urban Development Sectors, Rs. 34 crore for welfare of SCs, STs and OBCs and Rs. 84 crore for Social Welfare and Nutrition programmes.
Virbhadra Singh said that an outlay of Rs. 222 crore has been approved for Agriculture and allied activities keeping in view of 11th plan priority. He told that an amount of Rs. 260 crore would be spent on Irrigation and Flood Control programmes under the Plan in the state and added that emphasis would be laid on completion of on-going major and medium schemes to increase the growth rate in Agriculture and Horticulture Sector and added that State Govt. has constituted inter-department groups to increase the utilisation of irrigation potential and crop diversification programmes.
Chief Minister said that Rs. 278 crore would be spent on strengthening of Transport sector in the State and added that emphasis would be laid on completion of various on-going road and bridges projects. He told that Rs.159 crore would be spent on Energy Sector which would include Rural Electrification, strengthening of Transmission and Distribution Sector and equity contributions for Power Projects. He said that Rs. 279 crore would be spent on Rural Development, Special Area Programmes, General Economic Services, Industries and Minerals Sectors under the Plan. He said that increase in plan size will mainly be utilised for completing on-going capital works in sectors such as drinking water supply, major and medium schemes, road projects etc and added that significant infrastructure investment is required in education and health sector to maintain the present level of achievements.
Virbhadra Singh said that State economy showed a robust growth rate of 8.2% at the end of fourth year of 10th Plan as against the national growth rate of 7.5%. He said that per capita income of Himachal Pradesh has been registered at Rs.30140 during the year 2005-2006 as against national-level per capita income of Rs. 25825 registered during the same period. He said that 8344 villages have been provided Road Network Facilities by 31st March, 2006 in the state and added that 25968 kilometre motorable roads, 15657 kms. roads with cross drainage, 14975 kms. metalled and tarred roads and 1416 bridges were set up in the state by 31st March 2006. He said that road density in non-tribal areas works out 68.80 kms. per 100 square kms. during the year 2006 and added that 57.67% of the roads were metalled and tarred at the end of March, 2006 and added that 29011 kms. road length has been created in the State by the year March, 2006.
Chief Minister said that under drinking water supply scheme out of total 45367 habitations, 41287 habitations have been fully covered and 4080 habitations have been partially covered as per latest survey and added that 3000 partially covered habitations will be fully covered by spending a sum of Rs. 296 crore by March 2007. He said that balance 1080 habitations will be covered during 2007-2008 under the plan.
Virbhadra Singh said that State has exploited 6311.12 MW hydro-electric potential so far and added that 412.95 MW capacity projects are under execution by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board. He said that 5490.57 MW Hydro-Electric Projects are being executed by central sector/inter state/shared generation/joint sector in the State while 386 MW capacity projects are being operated by private sector in the state. He said that 5291.221 million Kwh power was sold within and outside state during the year 2005-2006 and told that record 1722.532 million kwh power was sold outside the State during the year 2005-2006. He said that Himachal Pradesh has achieved 81.71 percent target in providing road network to the villages and added that motorable road length to connect all feasible villages works out to about 30,500 kms. while the state has already created motorable road infrastructure measuring length of 25,968 kms. He said that 66.06 percent feasible villages have been provided with road connectivity in the State
