New Delhi, July 13: The annual plan 2012-13 for Jammu and Kashmir has been pegged at Rs 7300 crore. This plan was cleared after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had over three hour long meeting with the top functionaries of the Planning Commission including its Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia here on Friday.
The Planning Commission also approved Rs 700 crore under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Program (PMRP) for J&K. The Commission has agreed to provide additional Central resources of Rs 6384 crore - Rs 4400 crore as a Special Central Assistance (SCA) and Rs. 1984 crore as Special Plan Assistance (SPA) to finance the approved Annual Plan.
Significantly, while lauding the state government’s efforts on restoring economic activity and focusing on social and physical infrastructure, the Commission has stressed on the need to further encourage private participation in infrastructure development. In this regard, Singh suggested that atmosphere conducive to private investment in the state should be created.
On his part unfolding the state’s strategy for the 12th plan, Omar pointed out that enhanced and inclusive development is a key component of the overall strategy to build on peace dividends. He thanked Planning Commission and the Union Finance Ministry for their sensitivity and positive support to the state Government.
He said the State would target a realistic growth rate of 7.5% with focus on productive sectors and promoting private and public investment in the infrastructure sectors and making growth inclusive by putting in place special component plans. Counting on his government’s major achievements, Omar said these include conduct of successful Panchayat elections. The challenge is now to meet people’s expectations. The Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) has been introduced in six departments and 45 services and positive results are already visible, he said.
He further said that the State Information Commission has been made fully functional and the State is steadily moving towards transparency in governance. State Accountability Commission has been reconstituted and steps are being taken to set up State Vigilance Commission.
The Chief Minister said that massive expansion has taken place in education sector. He said 10792 primary schools have been opened under SSA, 513 middle schools upgraded under RMSA, 45 degree colleges established and 22 degree colleges have been accredited by NAAC. He also referred to the opening of two central universities and 11 off-site university campuses adding that these would give further impetus to higher education.
Omar Abdullah said that time bound completion of power projects to ensure additional power generation of 3100 MWs and reduction of AT&C losses by 25 percent has been made the benchmark in power sector.
Education, health and tourism have been pin-pointed by the Commission as the priority sectors on which proper development strategy can be based. The Commission has assured total flexibility from its side in the implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes. It has offered to remove all bottlenecks experienced in the implementation of such schemes provided the state government shares its experience with the panel.
Further, the Commission has pointed out that Tourism sector has great potential for boosting economic activities in the State through generating direct and indirect employment. Focus should be on development of infrastructure in a regulated manner through public-private partnership by extending incentives to the investor. The Government should modify the incentive rules for making these more vibrant and attractive.
The Commission also felt that promotion of heritage, adventure, pilgrim and eco-tourism should also be on the state’s priority list. Describing horticulture as the fast growing sector in the state, the Commission said that it contributes about 7.8 per cent towards the GSDP. About five lakh families (27 lakh farmers) are involved in this sector directly or indirectly.
The Commission has asked the state to accelerate the pace of economic development through developing a network of roads, power generation and tourism development. There is also need for greater emphasis on employment and income generation, which in turn requires skill upgradation and development of Tourism and Industrial Sectors in the State, Singh said.
Attention was drawn to the gender gap in literacy and it was pointed out that as per the census 2011 the gap is 20.25% which is much higher than the national average of 16.68%. Sex Ratio (0-6years) has declined by 82 points from 941 (Census 2001) to 859 (Census 2011) which is a matter of concern.
JK Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rahter, Minister of State for Planning, Dr Manohar Lal, Members of Planning Commission of India, J&K Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary Planning, BB Vyas and various Administrative Secretaries were present in the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST