Imphal, September 15: With the Planning Commission adopting a new procedure for allocation of plan size to States, chief Minister O ibobi singh today left for new Delhi to put forward the plan allocation as proposed by the state Govt.With the plan size of the current financial year worked out by the State Government standing Rs 717 crores the Chief Minister is reported to have rushed to the national capital to prevail upon the planning Commission to extend maximum Central assistance, said official sources.

The visit assumes significance as the previous plan size (2003-04) was limited to only Rs 590 crore compared to the State's proposal of Rs 603 crores, reminded the source.

Previous practice of fixing plan size of respective States were carried out through either a Commissioner level official or the finance Minister with the Planning Commission officials.

But from this financial year, working out plan allocation has become the prerogative of the Planning Commission, said the source while predicting that Manipur�s plan size may be decided on the basis of the State's resources for which Principal Secretary (Finance) RC Mishra is currently having discussion with the Planning Commission officials at New Delhi.

With the Planning Commission likely to have some reservations over the Plan size worked out by the State Government, as it is based on the State�s resources, the chief Minister is said to have sought a meeting with the Planning Commission Chairman before any final decision is taken on the plan size.

The source that O Ibobi is set to call on the Planning Commission to press for allocation of amount proposed by the State (Rs 717 crore).

It is pertinent to mention that the total allocation received by the State during the ninth five Year plan was Rs 2281 crore out of which Rs 1905.48 crores could be utilised.b For the tenth Five year plan (2002-07) allocation to Manipur the projected outlay of the Planning Commission is likely to hover around the Rs 2804 crore mark, said the source.

Significantly the State Government could utilise only Rs 322.09 crore out of total plan outlay of Rs 550 crore fixed by the PC for the 2002-03 period.

With allocation not matching utilisation every financial year the Planning Commission had seriously questioned why the State Government is insisting on such exaggerated figures, revealed the source.

For the Tenth Five year plan (2002-07) the State Government is projecting Rs 746.39 crores as total borrowing, out of the aggregate plan resources of Rs 2804 which also include a deficit of Rs 1108.81 crores pertaining to the state�s owned funds while Central assistance amount stands at Rs 3166.42 crores.

Mention may also be made that there is a recommendation of the Rangaranjan Committee for provision of 20 percent non-plan Central assistance to special category States that also includes Manipur.

Compared to Manipur receiving Rs 125 crore in 2001-02 and Rs 100 crore during the 2002-03 plan period as non-plan grant the ministry of finance did not reciprocate favourably to assist the State Government�s tide over non-plan gap of Rs 275.20 crores for the 2003-04 period.

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