The Hindu Business Line : Pondy Plan outlay fixed at Rs 810 cr

THE Annual Plan of Pondicherry for 2005-06 has been fixed at Rs 810 crore inclusive of a relief package of the order of Rs 100 crore to the tsunami-hit people.

This was decided at a meeting between the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and the State Chief Minister, Mr. N. Rangaswamy, here.

In his observations, the Deputy Chairman appreciated the progress notched up by the Union Territory in several areas and said the priority now is overwhelmingly in providing succour to the tsunami-affected people who bore the brunt of the devastation.

The Chief Minister said that his State has been doing well in the areas of health, education, power and water supply and sought special assistance exclusively for Karikal region, which has borne the brunt of severe water scarcity. He also said that the Plan panel has approved in principle an outlay of Rs 1,906 crore for the Tenth Plan with Central assistance of Rs 1,006.49 crore and the Union Territory's own resources of Rs 900 crore.

Sources in the Yojana Bhawan told Business Line that the total approved Plan outlay for the first three years (2002-05) comes to Rs 1,495.68 crore, which is 78.45 per cent of the Approved Plan size of Rs 1,906.49 crore purported for the entire five-year span to Pondicherry.

In his discussions with Dr Ahluwalia in November 2004 in Bangalore during the Southern Chief Minister's meeting, the Pondicherry Chief Minister was reported to have sought inclusion of port development in the list of projects posed for external aid and development of hotels in Pondicherry seeking if necessary private investment and working through tour operators.

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