The 12th Five Year Plan of the State seeks to make Tamil Nadu Numero Uno State in all indicators of the Human Development Index. The core focus of the Twelfth Plan is on accelerated, sustainable and inclusive growth, said the state Finance Minister O Pannerselvam.
In his Budget speech, he said, the size of the total Tamil Nadu State Plan allocation during the 12th Plan period is pegged at Rs 2.11 lakh crore. The outcome of the entire planning process will be on eradication of poverty, creation of more and better job opportunities and overall improvement in the quality of life.
The State will exceed the Annual Plan target of Rs 28,000 crore in 2012-2013 and the allocation has been increased to Rs 37,000 crore in 2013-2014. The plan allocation for the primary sector has been increased by 20.12%.
Agriculture
The overall allocation for the primary sector has been increased to Rs 17,220.89 crore in the Budget Estimates 2013-2014. The allocation for agriculture has been increased to Rs 5,189.15 crore in 2013-2014, over the current year's allocation of Rs 4,829.93 crore, which is the highest ever allocation for the sector.
The crop loan target under the Co-operative Sector will be stepped up from the present level of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 4,500 crore in the coming financial year.
Food Security
The state Government has said it will continue to implement the Universal Public Distribution System (PDS) irrespective of the outcome of the Food Security Bill proposed by the Central Government.
“In order to ensure food availability to all and thereby, to eradicate hunger from the State, the Government is providing free rice to all rice card holders from June 2011 onwards. The government is also supplying tur dhal, urad dhal and palm oil at subsidised prices under the special Public Distribution System so as to insulate the poor from the increasing prices of essential commodities,” said Pannerselvam
A sum of Rs 4,900 crore has been provided in the Budget Estimates 2013-2014 for food subsidy.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(MGNREGS)
The State stands first in the country in terms of work completion rate and overall expenditure under the MGNREGS. For 2013-2014, the allocation to the State stands at Rs 6,341.80 crore. With effect from April 1, 2013, the daily wage rate payable under this scheme will be raised from Rs 132 to Rs 148.
Other highest allocations
A sum of Rs 16,965.30 crore was provided for the School Education Department, which is the highest among all departments, Rs 6,511.76 crore for the health sector and Rs 4,887.69 crore for rural local bodies
In the Budget Estimates 2013-2014 also, Rs 500 crores has been provided for Chennai Mega City Development and Rs.750 crores for the Urban Development Mission.
