Kerala gets Rs 6,210 cr for 2006-07

The Planning Commission today approved an increase of 15.66 per cent to Rs 6,210 crore from Rs 5,983 crore in Kerala's annual plan outlay for 2006-07. The state's current year (2005-06) plan outlay was Rs 5,369 crore.

In addition, the state has been provided a one-time central assistance of Rs 50 crore to integrate the missions announced by President APJ Abdul Kalam in the state plan. The state will also receive Rs 40 crore for the National Urban Renewal Mission.

The Planning Commission revised the annual plan outlay for Kerala after consultations with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and state officials.

Expressing satisfaction at the revised allocation, Chandy said his government has also sought a special package to tackle unemployment, as the efforts of the state were not enough to create job opportunities for its over 40 lakh educated unemployed youths.

However, the chief minister expressed regret over the state getting less money from successive finance commissions. "The only way left to us, in these circumstances, is to raise resources through institutional finance," he said.

The state was being penalised for better performance in social, health and power sectors and requested the commission's support in getting strict norms for raising external funds relaxed, he added.

The state has identified poverty eradication, Information Technology, tourism and agriculture as priority areas for the next fiscal.

Of the allotted Rs 6,210 crore, Rs 1,796 crore has been earmarked for externally aided projects while Rs 1,944 crore and Rs 1,400 crore have been fixed for state-sponsored and local government schemes respectively, Chandy said.