The annual plan outlay of the Union Territory of Puducherry for the year 2013-14 has been fixed at 2000 crore rupees.
The plan size was finalized in a meeting between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy here last evening.
The plan size has been agreed at Rs.2,000 crore which includes the central assistance to the State Plan of about Rs.783 crore. In addition, an amount of about Rs.100 crore is likely to flow from the Centre to Puducherry through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
Thus, plan funding from the Central Government to the State of Puducherry, from all sources, is expected to be over Rs.883crore during 2013-14.
Ahluwalia said that the Planning Commission is keen to improve efficiency of Centrally Sponsored schemes and with this purpose a proposal for restructuring the schemes has been approved by the central Government, which permits flexibility in the guidelines.
Ahluwalia further said that he would be writing to all chief ministers shortly to communicate this decision as well as requesting them to come forward with the flexibilities which they consider essential for better implementation of these schemes.
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In his comments on the performance of the Union Territory, Ahluwalia said that the Union Territory has been achieving satisfactory progress and development strategy was in right track.
He said good progress has been achieved in health and education sectors. The State needs to focus on finding new avenues of revenue generation to meet future demands. Tourism and infrastructure are the areas which need special attention of the Government.
He said public private partnership in these sectors has to be encouraged and necessary steps should be taken to facilitate private partnership.
Briefing the Commission on plan performance, Rangasamy said efforts to improve fiscal position continue and during the current fiscal both tax and non-tax revenue is expected to grow by 24 per cent.
He said new initiative proposed for the year include around 200 project in PPP mode estimated to cost nearly Rs. 2,000 crore, renewable energy project and renewed thrust to encourage both domestic and international tourism.