HP State Planning Board approves Rs 7,900 crore annual plan for 2020-21

The State Planning Board has approved Rs 7,900 crore annual plan for 2020-21, about 11 per cent higher than 2019-20, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said.

Presiding over the meeting of State Planning Board here on Monday, Thakur said social services sector has been accorded priority by allocating Rs 3,487.24 crore, which is 44.14 per cent of the total annual plan.

Transport and communication sector is allocated Rs 1,394.89 crore, whereas agriculture and allied activities has been allotted Rs 974.29 crore, he said.

Irrigation and flood control has been allotted Rs 508.05 crore, while Rs 499.05 crore has been earmarked for energy sector.

The chief minister expressed concern over the gap between male and female literacy rate. He said efforts should be made to reduce this gap.

Thakur said the state's per capita income at Rs 1,76,968 in 2018-19 had shown increase of 10.12 per cent from 2017-18 and was better than that of national average and most other states.

He said Himachal Pradesh was the second state after Sikkim to become open defecation free (ODF).

Thakur said that since 90 per cent population of the state lives in rural area, emphasis should be laid on increasing crop production and farm income.

The state government is ensuring that focus is laid on qualitative improvement of education and health institutions instead of going for expansion, he added.

The CM said the state government is also committed to making Himachal a favourite tourist destination in the country.

He said the work on four-laning projects was expedited to ensure better connectivity. In order to ensure better air connectivity, all three existing airports are being expanded and improved.

He also released two publications of the Planning Department on the occasion.

State Planning Board Vice Chairman Ramesh Dhawala said the state economy achieved a growth rate of 7.3 per cent in the financial year 2018-19.

Cabinet Ministers Mahender Singh, Suresh Bhardwaj, Sarveen Chaudhary, Dr. Ram Lal Markanda, Vipin Singh Parmar, Virender Kanwar, Bikram Singh, Govind Singh Thakur and Dr. Rajiv Saizal, MLAs and non-official members also gave suggestions in the meeting.