Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
New Delhi, November 08:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will present to all Chief Ministers a roadmap with an emphasis on reforms to achieve a double- digit growth in the 11th Plan at the meeting of the National Development Council tomorrow.
Chief Minister O Ibobi and Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh left for New Delhi today to attend the NDC meeting.
The NDC, comprising all Chief Ministers, is meeting here to discuss and approve the Approach Paper for the 11th plan, which will begin from April 2007.The Full Planning Commission, headed by Singh and the Union Cabinet have already approved the Approach Paper that defines the broad objectives for the next plan period.
"I am satisfied that within the political constraints, the targets set for the Plan are achievable.
There is nothing in the Plan that is not acceptable to the coalition partners," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said while replying to query on whether the Plan objectives could be achieved by a coalition Government.
Singh said he was not "apologetic" for anything in the Approach Paper and was sure that the NDC meeting would throw some "major messages".
Suggesting a slew of reform measures, the Paper has set a target of achieving an average economic growth of nine per cent during 2007-12, while taking it to 10 per centtoward the end of the Plan.
Ahluwalia said the 11th Plan was beginning at a time when there were "interesting opportunities" in terms of higher growth trajectory.
The next Plan would aim to build on the average growth rate of eight per cent in the last four years, with 7.2 per cent for the entire 10th Plan.