K'taka submits Rs 17,783 crore Plan outlay

Karnataka has sought a Plan outlay of Rs 17,783.58 crore from the Centre for the year 2007-08, a 10 per cent increase compared with 2006-07 Plan outlay.

Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who is also the state's finance minister, on Monday met Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi and held discussions. Last year, the state had succeeded in getting the Commission's nod for an ambitious outlay of Rs 16,166 crore for 2006-07.

Kumaraswamy said the government was hopeful of getting the Commission's nod for the enhanced outlay for 2007-08 on account of sound performance in finances and social sector.

The government also urged the Commission to fix the Eleventh Five Year Plan outlay for the state at Rs 96,703 crore, a 122 per cent increase over the Tenth Five Year Plan outlay (Rs 43,558.22 crore).

"The state's achievement in the the 10th Five Year Plan has been impressive. The state expects to achieve 115 per cent of the planned expenditure. The state has targeted 10.2 per cent growth rate in the 11th Plan, which is higher than the national target," he added.

In an effort to develop economically backward North Karnataka districts, the state has sought a Rs 9,660-crore financial package from the Centre over the next eight years.

It has also sought extension of the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme to eight other districts "" Koppal, Bijapur, Bellary, Gadag, Kolar, Chamarajanagar and Tumkur. At present, the scheme is being implemented in five districts.