Date:09/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/09/stories/2006120921161600.htm

National

10 % growth proposed

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The National Development Council (NDC) will consider proposals to achieve 10 per cent growth during the 11th plan at its meeting here on Saturday with the focus expected to be on agriculture, power and the social sector. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will present the Approach Paper to the plan, already approved by the full Planning Commission and the Cabinet, to the NDC which comprises all Chief Ministers.

The paper envisages an average nine per cent growth during the 11th plan (2007-12) with a target of achieving 10 per cent at the end of the plan period. This target, officials feel, is achievable, given the fact that an annual rate of eight per cent growth has been achieved in the last four years of the tenth plan.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday described the targets set for the plan as achievable "within the political constraints." He felt there was nothing in the Plan that was not acceptable to the coalition partners. He was also not "apologetic" for anything in the Approach Paper and was sure that the NDC meeting would throw some "major messages." He expressed confidence that the average nine per cent target could be achieved by implemented measures proposed in the approach paper.

Key issues

Officials here say the key issues that are likely to be discussed at the NDC include agriculture, power and the social sector. The approach paper has highlighted the fact that the agriculture sector has not kept pace with other sectors of the economy and set a growth target of 4.1 per cent from 1.7 per cent in the 10th plan. The issue of shifting the agricultural labour force to non-agricultural activity by vocational training programmes is also expected to be examined in view of the need to improve rural employment opportunities.