Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 30 2008:
Ahead of the Working Group meeting on finalising the annual plan size of 2009-10 at New Delhi on January 16 and 17, 2009, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh today chaired a meeting to review the plan expenditure of the State taking serious note of the fact that slow pace of utilising the allocated plan amount for the current fiscal year may have its bearings on finalising the plan amount for the next fiscal year.
According to an official source, after the meeting of the Working Group of the officials of the Union Planning Commission and the State Government slated to be held from January 16 to 17 at New Delhi, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission have to finalise the size of the State plan for the next fiscal year.
As there may be problem in finalising the plan size of the State for the next fiscal year if there is backlog in utilising the allocated plan amount of the current fiscal year, the Chief Minister convened the meeting today morning to review the position of the plan expenditure of the State.
The meeting was attended by Ministers, Chief Secretary, Commissioners, Secretaries and Heads of Departments concerned.
It may be noted here that the State Cabinet has proposed Rs 2412 crores as the plan size of the State for the next fiscal year.
This is an increase of 20 percent from the plan size of the current fiscal year which is Rs 1660 crores.
Out of the total plan amount of Rs 1660 crores , a sum of Rs 453 crores has been expended till September last thus registering only a meagre 27 percent of the total plan amount.
While observing that the delay in releasing a sum of Rs 550 which is a plan component under SPA by the Planning Commission is one of the possible reasons for the slow pace of utilising the plan amount of the current fiscal year, the official disclosed that till date a sum of Rs 390 crores from the total SPA amount has been released.
During the meeting today, the Chief Minister has given instruction to all concerned for taking up necessary measures for ensuring release the remaining plan amount at the earliest possible, the source added.
On the other hand, another source informed that Governor of the State would be leading the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Planning) and Director (Planning) in the annual meeting of the NEC scheduled to be held on January 7 at New Delhi.