The Hindu Business Line : Kerala identifies priority areas for next annual plan

IMPROVING production and productivity, maximum utilisation of value addition opportunities and raising income in the agriculture and allied sectors are some of the priority areas for the 2005-06 annual plan of the State Government.

Another thrust of the annual plan, for which the Government has come out with a set of guidelines, is on the rehabilitation of traditional industries through technology upgradation, capacity building, provision of common facilities and improved marketing through the cluster approach.

The plan will also focus on improving service delivery, particularly in health, education, social welfare and development of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

The general priority areas of the annual plan will be generation of jobs (both direct and indirect), reduction of poverty by full utilisation of the community development society network under the `Kudumbasree' programme and upgradation and optimum utilisation of assets already created.

The Government has instructed the departments that the priorities suggested in the national Common Minimum Programme be kept in mind while drafting the plan. The schemes, which are found redundant or are too small to have any significant impact, may be avoided.

The State share of the Centrally sponsored schemes will be the first charge on the plan resources. However, it has to be ensured that the schemes are on and that the expected allocation is reasonable on the basis of the experience of the first three years.

In the case of departments having major projects, the second charge on the plan resources will be the completion of the ongoing projects. New schemes can be introduced only if fully justified by the mid-term assessment or are on the basis of studies carried out or as a result of any new policy package announced by the Government.

It has also been emphasised that all departments dealing with public services should give priority to the improvement of delivery of public services. This should be through provision of better facilities in service delivery institutions.