VIRBHADRA SINGH: Enhance gross budgetary support to all special category states

Dharmsala, December 27, 2012: Himachal’s 12th Five Year Plan is fixed at Rs. 22800 crore. The plan was finalised in the meeting of National Development Council (NDC) held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on Thursday.
In his address, Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh revealed that the 12th five year plan allocation was 65% higher in comparison to 11th five year plan which was highest in the country.
Chief Minister said that Government was spending more than nine percent of its plan allocation on agriculture and allied sector and requested the Union Government to offer incentives to the State Government by providing at least 50 percent of state outlay under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) during the 12th plan period.
He said that State Government would bring additional 27000 hectare of land under irrigation during plan period by executing different irrigations schemes. He said that target had been fixed to provide 70 litres drinking water per person per day in the State in comparison to National average of 55 litres per person per day. He said that all the left-out 10,725 habitations out of total 53,201 habitations would be provided safe drinking water during the plan.
Chief Minister urged Government of India (GoI) to assist the State Government for setting up food processing industries in the state and to increase the import duty three times on imported apples in order to safe guard the interest of fruit growers of the State besides to restore the air traffic to the state to promote tourism and also provide subsidy on heli-taxi service on the pattern of north eastern states. He requested GoI for liberal financial assistance for expansion and up-gradation of existing civil aviation infrastructure in the state and pleaded for extension of Shimla airport runway through extensions.
He urged to declare Baddi- Kalka and Bilaspur- Leh via Manali railway lines as project of National importance and early completion of ongoing Nangal-Talwara and Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri railway line by allocating adequate budget provision. He said that State Government would construct about 7500 Kms of new road network to connect all the villages with population of more than 100 persons during the plan and added that 2000 Kms of National Highways and proper maintenance of already existing road network would be undertaken.
Virbhadra Singh said that additional 4630 MW Hydropower would be generated in the state during the plan period and added that the state had so far harnessed 8368 MW hydro-electric potential out of total potential of 23000 MW. He requested the central Government to delegate the power of environmental clearance to State Government to expedite the power generation process in the state.
 He insisted to continue the subsidy on LPG cylinders due to higher fuel requirements in the in high altitude areas and said that in absence of LPG subsidy, the demand of fuel wood would increase leading to extra pressure on forest wealth. He also requested to revive the industrial package of the Himachal Pradesh and suggested that hilly backward areas of the neighboring states could also be included in the new industrial package on the basis of tough geographical conditions similar to Himachal Pradesh.
 
He said that Himachal has been ranked as third on human development indicators by Union Government and added that the state had achieved 83.78% literacy rate. Besides, the State Government proposes to make right of secondary education during twelfth plan with an object to universalize the access to secondary educations.
He requested the Prime Minister to upgrade Tanda Medical College to the status of AIIMS, new Delhi and said that demand of specialists, physicians and other trained medical professionals would be met through three medical colleges of the state.
Singh requested for enhancement of Gross Budgetary support to all special category states alike and to provide uniform funding pattern in the ratio of 90:10 for all special category states.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh welcomed the Union Government’s decision of direct cash subsidy and told that entire population of the state would be covered under the scheme in phased manner.