By IANS
New Delhi : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said his government would carry on the process of “inclusive growth” with special focus on marginal sections of society as the Planning Commission approved the state’s Rs.210 billion plan outlay for 2008-09.
After finalising the state’s annual plan in a meeting with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia here, Modi said the enhanced fund allocation would help his government in taking effective care of the needy people.
Gujarat’s plan outlay for 2007-08 was Rs.160 billion, and the state government had sought Rs.190.3 billion for the current fiscal.
“As much as 43 percent of the budget will be spent on resolving the problems of the marginal sections of society. The deprived sections will get special attention to further accelerate the process of inclusive growth in the state,” Modi told the reporters after the meeting.
Modi, who refused to take any query on the current price situation in the country, said the Planning Commission had approved Rs.1.11 trillion for the state as plan outlay for 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12).
Ahluwalia lauded the performance of the state, which registered a growth rate of 10.43 percent in the 10th Plan period. The plan panel has fixed the state’s growth target for the 11th Plan at 11.2 percent.
“The state has done well in education, health and other sectors. It needs to put more emphasis on the social sector during the coming years,” Ahluwalia said.
Gujarat will also set up industrial training institutes (ITIs) to “complement the new petroleum university” by producing trained personnel.
The state proposes to spend over Rs.13.49 billion on education during the current fiscal against Rs.10.70 billion in 2007-08.
Modi said the state would observe 2008 as the year of child health. The state government will spend over Rs.500 million to set up the country’s first Children’s University (CU).
“The CU will initially be started as the Bal Gokulam, and will later be converted into a full-fledged university that will ensure all-round development of children through scientific programmes,” an official told IANS.
“The university will develop scientific methods for mental and physical development of a child. It will act as the resource centre for training personnel engaged in teaching and other developmental aspects of children,” added the official, requesting not to be named.
The CU will also explore how the methods of child learning like recreational activities, toys, children’s songs and movies can contribute to the development of children.
Gujarat also plans to open 10 colleges in backward areas.