Odisha's draft plan size at Rs 21,467 cr

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will call on Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on June 4 to finalise the Plan size of Odisha for 2013-14.

The draft Plan size for this fiscal has been pegged at Rs 21,467 crore, 24.44 per cent higher than Rs 17,250 crore fixed for 2012-13.

"The State Plan for this fiscal will concentrate on agriculture, roads, irrigation, energy and social welfare, especially welfare of SC & ST," said an official of planning & coordination department.

Annual Plan allocations of Odisha have been substantially enhanced from Rs 5,520 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 17,250 crore in 2012-13.

In the 11th Plan (2007-12), the state government spent Rs 44,290.16 crore against the approved outlay of Rs 43,820 crore.

Sectors like energy, industry & minerals, transport, science & technology, social services and general services registered more than 100 per cent spending in 2007-12.

The remaining sectors- agriculture & allied activities, rural development, special area programmes, irrigation & flood control and general economic services posted over 90 per cent expenditure in the period.

An average real annual growth rate of 8.23 per cent has been achieved during the 11th Plan at 2004-05 prices.

The state's economy is projected to grow at the rate of nine per cent during the 12th Plan (2012-17), keeping in sync with the government's endeavour to achieve a sustainable and inclusive higher economic growth.

The state's 12th Five Year Plan envisages an average annual growth rate of nine per cent with a projected outlay of Rs 1.24 lakh crore. Sustained efforts have been made by the state government to allocate increasingly higher resources for planned development of the state.