Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today chaired a meeting of the Planning Commission to discuss India's 12th Five-Year Plan and lauded the achievements of his government during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. Singh said that the government is targeting an 8.2 per cent growth in the 12th Plan period, lower than originally projected, but some realistic downgrade is expected given the global economic situation. He added that the economy grew at 7.9 per cent despite the global economic turbulence in 2008 and 2011. The Prime Minister further added that only GDP growth was not important, but it had to be sustainable and inclusive. Reiterating the importance of infrastructure in the economy, he stated that the government is aiming at $1 trillion investment in the core sector.
