The Punjab Annual Plan for 2009-10 has been pegged at Rs 8625 crore. The magnitude and details of the plan were finalised at a meeting with a contingent led by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi today.
Giving details of the plan outlay, the Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Harcharan Bains said here today that the plan size represents an increase of Rs 2415 crore, a leap of 39% over the previous year. The plan expenditure during the year 2008-09 was Rs 6868 crore against an outlay of Rs 6210 crore. 31% of the total plan was earmarked for the energy sector having thrust towards power generation, distribution and up-gradation of transmission.
The Social Services Sector with 26% of the plan outlay was the second priority sector with thrust on pensions to old and other sections of the society, skill development and employment generation, rural water supply schemes, urban development and welfare of weaker sections. Road Transport Sector with 23% of the plan outlay was also a thrust area with major funding envisaged on account of World Bank and NABARD projects.
Badal also sought GoI’s intervention for finalisation of Coal Linkage for Gidderbaha Thermal Power Project. To bring Power component of the Shahpurkandi Hydro Power Project under the special category (90% grant by GoI) of national project and to set up at least one Centre Sector Thermal Plant by NTPC in Punjab, besides the allocation of 1500 Mw from other Central Power Projects in lieu of the Lara Power Plant in Chhattisgarh and ensure expeditious completion of Rs 2700 crore gas pipe line project of GAIL from Dadri to Nangal.
On the industrial front, Badal said that the State Government was actively considering to enact a SEZ Act and to formulate New Industrial Policy. He asked the GoI to remove the minimum land requirement of 100 hectares for sector specific Economic Zones in view of high value of land in Punjab.