Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Jun 05, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Jun 05, 2003 |
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Industry & Economy
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Economy Gujarat annual Plan fixed at Rs 7,860 cr Our Bureau
NEW DELHI, June 4 GUJARAT'S annual Plan for the current fiscal has been fixed at Rs 7,860 crore at a meeting between the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr K.C. Pant, and the Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, here. In his opening remarks, Mr Pant said Gujarat was one of the leading States in terms of per capita income and several other indicators of development and among the most urbanised States in the country. Yet, the benefits of such development appeared to be unevenly spread, he added. In the recent period, it has witnessed almost stagnant long-term growth in agriculture and regional disparities in development. Hence, Mr Pant urged the State to adopt a different and more holistic strategy for the pockets of rural and tribal population spread over about 10 districts. He said the State Government has appreciable achievement in primary education with a school in every revenue village and upper primary school within a radius of three kilometres. Even though the infrastructure development of roads with private sector participation has been successful, there was need to improve efficiency of the State Road Transport Corporation, he said. Reforms in the power sector were yet to show tangible and durable results and transmission and distribution losses continued to be high, he said. The Chief Minister briefed the Plan panel on the new initiatives of the Government aimed at accelerating the economic growth and providing basic amenities to the people suffering from natural calamities. He said States were suffering because of the high rate of interest on various loans and advances from the Centre and said the Planning Commission should intervene to seek lowering of interest rate as has been done in the case of rural infrastructure fund. He also pleaded for modification in the norms for additional central assistance targeted at Gujarat earthquake relief and rehabilitation programme. Mr Modi said the State Government has launched an ambitious rural housing programme aimed at providing shelter to all homeless poor people by 2010 under Sardar Patel Awas Yojana. 48,000 houses are proposed to be constructed this year, for which an outlay of Rs 192.70 crore is proposed, he added.
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