'Oil price, not differences, delayed 11th Plan paper'

Differences within the Planning Commission on public investment and corporates' participation in rural development has delayed the approach paper for the 11th plan by over five months, even as Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia sought to play it down by blaming it on rising international oil prices.

"There are seven independent professionals (members) who have put forward significant suggestions and substantive views have been presented by them. If there were no differences then what would be the point of a discussion? but there are no differences as such," Ahluwalia said.

On the delay, he said, "I will not say it was long overdue. I thought it would have been ready this April. But as the paper deals with specific and significant issues, it is a major task. We also have to factor in the impact of rising oil prices".

The deputy chairman said meetings were on to discuss the impact of oil prices on growth in the 11th plan period and this would be reflected in the paper.

Sources said the members were unable to arrive at a consensus on public investment for rural development including infrastructure and the role of big corporates that would not like to invest in rural projects.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said at the National Development Council (NDC) meeting in June 2005 that the paper would be presented before the Cabinet by December 2005.

According to some members of the commission, the paper is likely to go to the Cabinet and the NDC only by October of this year.

"We will have to wait for the Parliament session to be over to hold the full Planning Commission meeting," Ahluwalia said, adding that it would be sent to the Cabinet and then to the NDC, after which work on the final plan document would begin. The 11th plan period starts from April 1, 2007.

"The approach paper envisages an 8 per cent plus GDP growth during the next plan period and accelerated growth of 10 per cent," a commission official said.

"It seeks to bridge socio-economic gaps and remove disparities with a major focus on education and healthcare," the official said, adding that there would be no more big ticket development programmes but the focus would be on proper implementation of ongoing programmes like Bharat Nirman, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and National Rural Health Mission.