Montek upset over dismal growth in UP

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today expressed concern at the dismal growth rate of Uttar Pradesh and said the state needed to improve its performance in various sectors.

Ahluwalia used strong words to define the real position of the most populous state in India. "Growth rate of Uttar Pradesh is hovering between 3 to 4 per cent as against a national average of 8.1 per cent. The state needs to register a growth rate of at least 11 per cent in the remaining years of the Tenth Plan to achieve the national average. But that seems impossible at the moment," he said.

Ahluwalia was in Lucknow today for the mid-term review of the Tenth Plan's progress in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh. The meeting was attended by Mulayam Singh Yadav, ND Tiwari and Raman Singh, chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh respectively.

All the chief ministers tried hard to convince the Plan body's deputy chairman that they needed more funds to improve their fiscal position and social indicators. But Ahluwalia not only remained non-committal, he also asked them to improve their performance by improving social indicators, implement central policies regarding fiscal management and to "develop a synergy to achieve the (higher) growth rate".

"I am not here to compare the performance of the states, but I want to understand the perception of the chief ministers regarding the central policy so that the financial condition of the states could improve," Ahluwalia told reporters.

He voiced concern over the lowering of agriculture growth, but conceded that all the state were struggling to manage their finances.

The deputy chairman accepted that education for all, mid-day meal scheme and other developmental programmes needed huge funds and said, "We are trying to source that from our end."

Emphasising the need for improvement in the social indicators, especially education, literacy, health, and women and child development, Ahluwalia said the problems of various states were complicated.

On the demand for special packages, he said, "Uttar Pradesh is not the only state demanding a special package, all the states want special packages and the central government can't fulfil everyone's demand."

The Planning Commission was reportedly irked at the non-utilisation of central funds, especially in the rural development projects.