HP approves Rs 5,200 cr annual plan for FY17

Himachal Pradesh State Planning Board today approved Rs 5,200 crore annual plan for 2016-17 which is 8.33 per cent more than current year's plan of Rs 4,800 crore.
Presiding over the meeting of the Board, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that the plan included Scheduled Caste Sub-plan of Rs 1309.88 crore and Tribal Sub-plan of Rs 468 crore.
Social services sector had been given priority in the Plan with an allocation of Rs 1,992 crore (38.31 per cent), followed by Transport Rs 979.04 crore (18. 83 per cent), Energy sector Rs 683 crore (13.13 per cent ) and Agriculture and allied sectors Rs 586 crore (11.26 per cent).

The allocation to energy sector included the loan and equity to Asian Development Bank (ADB)-assisted projects.
The Chief Minister said that the government had adopted election manifesto as its policy document and had fulfilled all the promises within three years of its present regime.
He said that the state government was endeavouring to bring more people in the 15-45 years age group under the ambit of Skill Development Scheme and an outlay of Rs 640 crore had been approved by the Union Government for the purpose.

Singh expressed concern over stopping of financial assistance to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore by the Centre following constitution of NITI Ayog and said that the matter had been raised with the centre and NITI Ayog time and again.

He said though the core scheme which forms a part of National development Agenda, is being funded in the ratio of 90:10 by Centre and the State, many other optional schemes would be funded in the ratio of 80:20 as per the recommendations by Sub-groups of chief ministers in the meeting of NITI Ayog.
It was also disclosed in the meeting that the public sector job ratio in the state is 28 per cent which is higher as compared to neighbouring states.
It was ten per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 11 per cent in Punjab, 12 per cent in Bihar and 14 per cent in Haryana.

The Chief Minister took serious view of the haphazard cable laying on both sides of the roads, leading to mishaps and said that the contracts should be given on merits of the contractors.
A liability/penalty clause should be inserted in the agreements for construction/maintenance of roads and other projects, he said.