The Hindu Business Line : Assam annual Plan at Rs 3,000 cr

THE annual Plan for Assam for 2005-06 has been pegged at Rs 3,000 crore inclusive of an additional Central Plan assistance/special Plan assistance of Rs 300 crore for funding the reconstruction plan of the State linked to specific projects.

This was decided here on Thursday at a meeting between the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and the Chief Minister of Assam, Mr Tarun Kumar Gogoi. The Deputy Chairman complimented the State for Plan performance and pointed out that focus should continue on agriculture, technical education, IT and tourism to accelerate development process.

He said the Centre is working out a Plan to promote horticulture and the State should work towards taking optimum benefit from the scheme, which would involve improving quality of plants and creating marketing network. Being rich in mineral resources, Assam should prepare a roadmap for sustainable and scientific development of these resources.

In the social sector, attention was drawn to high birth rate and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). The State Government was advised to improve immunisation coverage. Further, strengthening of self-help groups was also recommended.

The Members of the Commission were of the opinion that the roads are of poor quality and only 14 per cent of the road length was surfaced. It was pointed out that Central Government was aiming at improving road network in the country and the State should work towards supplementing this effort. Efforts are on to improve urban infrastructure and all State capitals would be extended conditional support for this purpose. The government was also asked to draw a time-bound action plan for 100 per cent rural electrification.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the State finances have been under strain for last several years. Lack of adequate investment, low rate of capital formation, perpetual problems of floods, weak communication and inability to utilise natural resources were responsible for slow development.

He said north-eastern region should be given exclusive policy back-up to promote investments. Mr Gogoi said efforts were on to improve fiscal health and ST collections in the current year were expected to go up by Rs 300 crore.

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