PM to get final draft of 11th Plan by mid-Aug

The Planning Commission will submit the final draft of the approach paper on the 11th Five-Year Plan to the prime minister by mid-August.

Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Alhuwalia said, "There will be no delay in preparing the approach paper and it will be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by the middle of August."

Speaking at the meeting, economists stressed on the need for better implementation of Plan proposals. Economist Hanumanta Rao said for a country like India, "achieving 8.5 per cent growth is difficult but not unachievable. The government should focus on the growth of agriculture unlike in earlier five-year Plans."

PHDCCI Secretary General Bibek Debroy said the approach paper lacked coherence and there was hardly anything to increase inclusiveness of the social sector.

"The Commission should remember that it is an approach paper, not a National Common Minimum Programme," he said.

"The government should empower gram panchayats financially to pay doctors in the district primary health centres to regularise weekly visits to the villages. The government should also extend merit-based scholarships to 10 lakh students and provide Rs 500 crore for it," Ila Patnaik said.

National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council member and Chairperson, International Food Policy Research Institute, Isher Ahluwalia said, "It took six years to adopt the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act. The Commission should not make any changes to it."