Praising Delhi Government’s performance, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday, said that the State has been performing as expected and the growth has been quite good as there is substantial improvement in services to citizens. “Thrust to improving education and health services is commendable,” he added.
Commission also finalised Delhi’s annual plan outlay for the year 2013-14 at Rs16,626 crore against Rs15,862 crore in 2012-13. The plan was finalised in a meeting between Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit.
Ahluwalia further said Delhi has been growing rapidly and faces numerous development challenges. Delhi Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth rate during the 11th Plan was at 11.46 per cent, which is much better than the National average of 8 per cent. The State has consistently maintained a revenue surplus, which however has declined from 3.26 per cent GSDP in 2007-08 to 1.41 per cent in 2011-12.
It was also pointed out that the Human Development Index (HDI) of the State is 0.750 — much better than the National average of 0.467. He added that Delhi is now second after Kerala among 22 States. The Performance of the State in health and educational indicators like birth rate, death rate, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Under-5 Mortality Rate (U-5MR), Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), anaemia, under nutrition (0-3 years), literacy rate, gender gap in literacy, are better than the National average.
Dikshit said that Delhi's financial position was strong with 93 per cent of plan being funded from own resources. “Outlay for transport will increase by 46 per cent, while health and medical services will get 62 per cent more. Allocation for education will also go up by 29 per cent," she said.
Dikshit further said the Government of NCT of Delhi has taken up number of initiatives for the improvement of health services. A Central procurement agency has been set up, which is ensuring access to high quality and low cost drugs in all public facilities. She said four new medical colleges and five nursing schools will be set up in the 12th plan to reduce manpower shortage. She showed concern over the decline in groundwater level due to rapid pace of urbanisation resulting in reduced natural recharge to aquifers in Delhi. On an average the groundwater withdrawn here is 138 per cent.