The State Planning Board of Himachal Pradesh in its meeting held at Dharamshala under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister today accorded its approval to the proposed 11th Five Year Plan of Rs. 14,000 crore, and First Annual Plan of the 11th Plan beginning from the year of 2007-08 proposed to be Rs. 2,100 crore to pose for further final approval to the Planning Commission of India.
Addressing the Board Meeting Virbhadra Singh said that the proposals for the 11th Plan beginning from coming financial year 2007-08, and ending up in the financial year 2011-12, had been framed within the proposed aggregate size of Rs. 14,000 crore. He said that major objectives of the Plan would include increasing farm incomes, accelerating hydro-power development, provision of essential public services for all sections of the society, developing vital infrastructure, nurturing human capital, protecting the environment and improving governance. He added that the Annual Plan size of Rs. 2,100 crore for the financial year 2007-08 comprised of Rs. 1,629 crore for General Plan, Rs. 231 crore for Scheduled Caste Component, which would be forming the State Plan as a seperate demand for the first time from coming financial year onwards, Rs. 189 crore for Tribal Sub Plan and Rs. 51 crore for Backward Area Sub Plan. He added that the state had not only succeeded in fully utilising the Plan resources during 10th Plan but also achieved an average growth rate of about 8.2 percent.
Chief Minister said that harnessing the massive hydro-electric potential of the State could bring self reliance and prosperity as investment requirements were enormous and were not confined to the resources availability under the State Plan. He said that a new model of Public Private Partnership would be forged to actualize entire hydro-power potential and endeavours would be made to allot all the remaining major hydro-power projects within the first year of the 11th Plan. He said that Himachal Pradesh was the First State in the country where District Planning Committees had been constituted for effective and people oriented implementation of the Plan.
Virbhadra Singh said that his Government would consider envisaging a Special Project for removal of Lantana and other wild weed from the farm land and arrest the spreading of the same in association with the local gram panchayats, NGOs and farmers committees. He emphasised agro-diversity with scientific, exotic and organic approach to strengthen the rural economy. He said that the agriculture had been the core sector which would be the focal point for economic development. He said that the State Government would also be considering constitution of a separate board for boosting the bee-keeping as allied activity in the State so that it would also emerge as income booster to the farmers.
The Cabinet Ministers interacted with the non-official and official members of the Board and satisfied themselves with the provisions envisaged for the next Five Year Plan as well as the Annual Plan of the State. Discussions were held on different components of the Plan and suggestions of the non-official members incorporated.
via HP PR
