PM to discuss 12th plan approach paper in July

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to approve approach paper for the 12th five year plan in July.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to approve approach paper for the 12th five year plan in July.

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“The meeting of full Planning Commission to be chaired by Prime Minister will meet before end of next month (July) to approve the approach to the 12th plan,” a plan panel official said.

The Planning Commission on expected to end its regional consultations on the approach paper in July and draft an approach paper based on inputs received from the state governments and the civil society organizations.

The 12th plan approach paper is expected to focus on health, education, skill development, manufacturing and infrastructure. Plan panel officials said higher allocation is expected for these sectors in the next plan.

Approach paper provides broad framework of the government policy to be pursued in the five-year period to achieve the desired growth rate. It is expected to be finalized by mid July, plan panel deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.

After approval of the Approach Paper by the full Plan panel, the document will be placed before the Union Cabinet for consideration.

“Since the Parliament's Monsoon session is scheduled from August 1 to September 8, the document would be placed before country's highest policy making body, National Development Council (NDC), anytime after the session.

A full Planning Commission meeting was earlier held in April in which the basic format and the contents of the approach paper was discussed. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wanted plan panel to frame a policy to seek economic growth between 9 to 9.5%.