The Annual Plan of Punjab was finalised at Rs 11,520 crore for the year 2011-12 on Wednesday. The approval came after a meeting between Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here on Wednesday.
Mr Badal said top priority would be given to social services (34.03 per cent) with thrust on education, urban development and pensions to the aged, handicapped and disadvantaged sections of the society. The energy sector follows with allocation of 30.11 per cent and transport with 13.67 per cent of the total outlay.
In terms of rise in outlay, the highest increase has been in general economic service (192 per cent). Agriculture and allied activities (58 per cent) and social services (54 per cent) and there is a 4 per cent fall in rural development.
Mr Badal urged the Centre to waive of all agriculture loans. He also sought the extension of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor up to Amritsar. The Eastern corridor should also be extended up to Amritsar, he added.
Earlier, Mr Ahluwalia said that Punjab's growth rate had shown a positive trend. He said there was a growth in revenue but a lot more could be done. He said there was need to curb losses in the power sector and innovative measures are needed to restore fertility of agriculture land.
He said the Plan Panel would take up a pilot project for water recharging in the area that needs cooperation of the three north Indian states – Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
The Minister of State for Planning, Mr Ashwani Kumar, who is also Member In-charge for the State, said that the Commission was concerned about the deterioration in the State's fiscal health and would be looking for bringing in policy interventions needed to ensure improved fund flow. He suggested policy initiatives to attract private participation in the development of social and physical infrastructure.