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Madhya Pradesh
News
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18 pc
hike in Annual Plan outlay of MP, fixed at Rs. 14,182 cr.
Bhopal, March 25 (Pervez Bari): The annual plan outlay for Madhya
Pradesh has been fixed at Rs.14,182 crore, which is 18 per cent higher
than the last year's plan outlay which was of Rs. 12,011 crore.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today met the
Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia at
New Delhi today to finalize the annual state plan outlay for the year
2008-09 at Yojana Bhawan.
According to an official Press release of this, Rs.150 crore has been
allotted as lump sum special central assistance. Forest Conservation
etc. 52 per cent has been allocated for infrastructure development, 32
per cent for social service sector and rest 16 per cent for
development of other sectors. Budgetary provision has also been made
for SC & ST sector in accordance with their population in the state.
Works pertaining to construction of anganwadi buildings, higher
secondary school buildings, strengthening of hostels and ashrams and
establishment of bio-diversity parks and a planetarium at Ujjain would
be taken up on priority basis.
Chief Minister apprised the Planning Commission of fiscal management
done by the Government in last one year where the State Government has
not only increased its revenue but also contained the Non-Plan
expenditure. The Planning Commission appreciated the fiscal efforts
and the reforms process taken up in different sectors by the State
Government.
Chouhan informed the Deputy Chairman about the various measures taken
by the State Government to cut T & D losses in energy sector from 45
per cent to 41 per cent. He also spoke about the efforts being made in
the state to effectively address the gender issue, "Mukhya Mantri
Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana", "Ladli Lakshmi Yojana" and several other
welfare schemes initiated by the state government for the upliftment
of the masses.
He also informed about severe drought prevailing in the state. He said
that 39 out of 48 districts are facing severe drought conditions
especially in the Bundelkhand area. He urged that this should be
treated as a national calamity and relief to the tune of Rs. 24,000
crores should be given under National Calamity Relief Fund. He also
demanded a special package of Rs. 15,000 crore for the state like that
given to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for development of backward states.
Deputy Chairman Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia praised the efforts of the
state government in initiating various welfare schemes for the masses.
He promised full cooperation in development of the state.
Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji and State Planning Board
Chairman Sompal and Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni and senior officials
of the State Government were present in the meeting.
Chouhan informed the Planning Commission that Madhya Pradesh spent
101.2 per cent against the approved outlay of the 10th Plan. The state
government has presented revenue surplus budget for last two
successive years. It has achieved all the targets of FRBM Act passed
in 2005. He further informed that Madhya Pradesh has doubled the power
generation capacity and has constructed about 40,ooo kilometre length
of roads besides creating irrigation potential for additional nine
lakh hectare. Madhya Pradesh has been leading the country in
implementation of NREGS.
The Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest
cover in the country and has too spent heavily on maintaining this
forest cover whereas entire country and world community benefit from
its forest wealth and environment. He said that the Supreme Court has
asked for providing compensation to the states, which have maintained
forest cover above the national average.
Chouhan demanded a compensation of Rs. 8285 crore annually for this.
He also stressed the need for fixing the coal royalty at fully ad
valorem rates. He said that the irrigation average in Madhya Pradesh
is less than national level, therefore, the Greenfield projects should
be sanctioned under AIBP and the Central Government should finance the
states 50 per cent as grant. He demanded that the limit of central
grant for promoting water conservation, irrigation and water saving
should be increased to 75 per cent The Chief Minister demanded that in
districts which are backward in the field of higher education should
be provided at least 75 per cent of the capital cost infrastructure
and upto 50 per cent of recurring expenditure till minimum two
five-year plans for establishment of colleges of excellence under
proposed centrally sponsored scheme. (pervezbari@eth.net)
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