Himachal Pradesh's annual plan for the year 2013-14 has been finalised at Rs4,100 crore which is Rs400 crore more than last year’s annual plan at a meeting in Yojna Bhawan New Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting was between Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh .
The plan size for the new fiscal year is almost 11 per cent higher than the Rs3,700 crore plan outlay for 2012-13, said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
He said that social sector, transport and communication and energy sector had been given first, second and third priorities by allocating Rs1,371.40 crore (33.45 per cent), Rs865.14 crore (21.10 per cent) and Rs624.68 crore (15.24 per cent) of the total plan outlay respectively.
“The State economy growth rate for 12th plan period had been fixed at 9 per cent, said Virbhadra while adding that an plan outlay of Rs1,013.52 crore has been allocated to Scheduled Caste sub plan for implementing various schemes for upliftment of Scheduled Caste population.
The Chief Minister said that Rs369 crore (9 per cent) of the outlay had been earmarked for tribal area sub plan and Rs37 crore had been allocated for various development projects in declared backward areas of the State. Sector-wise agriculture and allied activities, irrigation and flood control, energy, transport and communications and social services had been allocated Rs530.84 crore, Rs301.14 crore, Rs624.68 crore, Rs865.14 crore and Rs1371.40 crore respectively.
Virbhadra Singh said that additional 5009 MW hydel energy would be generated in the State during 12th five year plan out of which a target of 1918 MW hydel energy generation has been fixed for annual plan 2013-14.
He stressed the need for low cost open access and grid connectivity in entire country to evacuate surplus power for energy consumers at various parts of the country at proper price. An outlay of Rs35 crore has been approved for the year 2013-14 for Swan River Integrated watershed management project in Una district, to regenerate the forests to protect agriculture land and enhance agriculture and forestry production in catchment areas.
Virbhadra said, “In a new scheme, house boats would be introduced in vast reservoirs in the State.” He further said that majority of the visiting 150 lakh tourists prefer popular tourist destinations in the State and State Government was working towards diverting the tourists to newly explored areas for which various schemes like homestay, had been started.
The Chief Minister has requested the Union Government to start air services to all the three airports Shimla, Kangra and Kullu airports to boost the high-end tourists to visit the State during this summer. He also requested for declaring the Bilaspur-leh via Manali railway line as project of national importance keeping in view its strategic importance and said that only 44 kms railway line had been added in the State since Independence and entire burden of goods and passenger traffic was borne by the road transport.
He also requested for survey of Baddi-Chandigarh rail line keeping in view its economic consideration which would link industrial units operating in Baddi-Barotiwala areas. Virbhadra pleaded for relaxation of ratio of 60:40 to 50:50 between labour and capital components for execution of works under MNREGA and also requested for enhancement of wages from existing Rs138 to Rs150 per day.