The Hindu Business Line : Rajasthan annual Plan pegged at Rs 11,638 cr

PUTTING FORTH PLANS: The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, with the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ms Vasundhara Raje, in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

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New Delhi Feb. 5 The annual Plan size of Rajasthan for 2007-08 has been pegged at Rs 11,638.87 crore for the inaugural year of the Eleventh Plan, which is inclusive of additional Central assistance of Rs 70 crore for project of special significance to the State.

The Plan size for the next fiscal has been arrived at a meeting between the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ms Vasundhara Raje Scindia.

Commenting on the Plan performance of the State, Mr Ahluwalia said fiscal management was improving.

He said the State was progressively moving out of Bimaru status, a reference to a few chronically slow-growing States of Central and North and Eastern India.

The State Government has successfully implemented public private partnerships in infrastructure development and its effort to introduce public private partnership in social sector is commendable.

It was asked to evolve programmes based on optimum utilisation of resources and it was suggested that water conservation get top priority.

The Centre, on its part, would shortly announce setting up of National Rain-fed Authority and expansion of Rural Employment Guarantee Programme is also on the cards. The State Government should lay more emphasis on engaging youth having no employable skills.

Briefing the Commission on priorities for the next financial year, Ms Scindia said the highest priority would be accorded to social and community services and power sector. Over 35 per cent budgetary support would go to social and community services while power sector will get nearly 24 per cent of the Plan outlay.

The Chief Minister said significant improvement had been achieved in revenue deficit and fiscal deficit and growth rate in tax revenue and non-tax revenue was likely to be more than 14 and 13 per cent, respectively.

The State is likely to generate revenue surplus and gross fiscal deficit as percentage of GDP for the current year is likely to be less than 4 per cent. She said in the Eleventh Plan, power sector would get nearly Rs 5,000 crore annually. Water, education and health will also be priority sectors, she said.

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