Rs. 34,000-cr Bihar annual plan okayed

The planning commission has approved Bihar its annual plan outlay for 2013-14 at Rs. 34,000 crore, reflecting an increase of 34.4% over its 2012-13 plan size of Rs. 25,628 crore.

The planning commission has approved Bihar its annual plan outlay for 2013-14 at Rs. 34,000 crore, reflecting an increase of 34.4% over its 2012-13 plan size of Rs. 25,628 crore.

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This was after a delegation led by chief minister Nitish Kumar met the commission’s deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Besides Kumar, the high-level delegation comprised deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, ministers Narendra Narain Yadav, Bhim Singh, Harikishore Singh and other officials.

The team made a commitment to the commission that the state government would arrange Rs. 25,381.70 crore (74.76%) from its own resources and market borrowings, leaving only Rs. 8618.30 crore (25.34%) to come from central assistance.

It pointed out that the decline in reliance on central assistance over successive years has been possible by prudent fiscal management and augmentation of its own resources through wide ranging reforms.

The main development priorities for this year have been on social services, infrastructure, agriculture and allied sectors, irrigation, flood control and energy sector.

The state plan has grown from Rs. 4,379.67 crore in 2005-06 to Rs. 25,628 crore in 2012-13. The rate of growth of GSDP at constant prices has been 11.87 % in 11th Plan period (2007-12), the highest amongst all states, while the per capita net income of Rs. 7,749 in 2005-06 has almost doubled to Rs. 14,268 in 2012-13. The centre has sanctioned a grant of Rs. 12,000 crore under special plan of Backward Region Grant Fund in 12th five-year plan.

After Wednesday’s meeting, Ahluwalia expressed his satisfaction over the progress made by the state. The chief minister, on his part, thanked the deputy chairman of Planning Commission for accepting Bihar’s demand on plan size.