Outlay for irrigation, social services sectors scaled up

Even as the Planning Commission hiked the plan outlay of Gujarat for 2005-06 by a record 29 per cent to Rs 11,000 crore, more than half of the plan outlay has been given to the irrigation and social service sectors.

In his budget speech at the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha on Friday, state finance minister Vajubhai Vala said that the state government has achieved over 100 per cent implementation of the annual development plan in 2003-04, and will better the performance in the current fiscal too.

"The Planning Commission has lauded the effort of the state government in various sectors and we have made sizeable non-plan provision too in the Budget for all sectors," Vala said.

Under the 2005-06 annual plan outlay, a sum of Rs 2,983 crore has been allotted for irrigation and flood control activities. Vala said that the government proposes to fully implement the Sujalam-Sufalam scheme (a scheme to make optimum use of surface water) by December 2005.

Vala said that the state's social services record too has been appreciated by the Planning Commission and a Rs 4,025 crore allocation under the annual plan, which accounts for 37 per cent of the plan outlay, is a steep hike compared with last year. 
 

Budget provisions
Sectoral outlay	(In Rs crore)
Agriculture and allied activities	589.38
Rural development	499.64
Irrigation and flood control	2,983.77
Energy	839.52
Industries and minerals	392.38
Transport	1,263.24
Communication	19.57
Science, technology & environment	143.13
General economic services	235.86
Social services	4,025.97
General services	7.53
Total	11,000.00

"According to the Planning Commission, the rate of poverty in Gujarat is just 14.07 per cent against a national average of 26.10 per cent. The Planning Commission estimates that Gujarat will remain at the top in achieving poverty alleviation through social service schemes," the finance minister said.

Earlier this month, the Planning Commission raised the plan outlay of Gujarat by 29 per cent, sanctioning a plan outlay of Rs 11,000 crore. The state achieved a growth rate of 15.40 per cent in the past fiscal and Rs 47,000 crore outlay has been fixed for the state in the Tenth Five Year Plan.

The GDP growth rate of the state has increased substantially over the past three years. From a growth rate of 7.75 per cent in 2001-02, the growth rate increased to 10.10 per cent in 2002-03 and to 15.40 per cent in 2003-04.