The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Development projects yet to take off, rues Amarinder

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Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004

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Development projects yet to take off, rues Amarinder

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, NOV. 16. The Punjab Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, has said that while the State government was promoting major private investment and participation, it was evolving means to improve the delivery system of the public sector as well.

Capt. Singh was addressing a gathering after releasing the Punjab Human Development Report, which has been prepared by a Delhi-based research organisation in collaboration with the United Nations Development Project. He said by the end of the current fiscal, the private investment over the last three years would have reached Rs 10,000 crore.

The Chief Minister expressed concern that various development projects of the State had yet to take off due to paucity of funds. He said there was no scope for reversing the process of privatisation and liberalisation, even as the development report had recommended some controls on privatisation as it created some social divisions.

Disclosing that the agriculture sector was all set for its second take off, the Chief Minister conceded that the State Government's diversification plan had received a set back as it had to provide for inputs like power and water during the recent failure of monsoon. He said the process was on to place relevant mechanisms in place to deal with the challenges of the implementation of WTO proposals.

Speaking on the occasion, Resident Representative UNDP, Maxine Olson, said that today Punjab became the tenth Indian State to launch its State Human Development Report. She also emphasised the need to take note of several landmark achievements of the State and in building on the successes and development gains of the past for a sustainable future for all sections of the Punjabi society.

Dr. Olson called for integrating the insights of the report into planning and action as well as for constant monitoring the progress to enhance the quality of long-term solutions. She made a plea for translating the report into Punjabi so as to allow for wider sharing.

Sandeep Dixit, MP, who heads Sanket, which has prepared the report made a detailed presentation underlining the notable achievements and second-generation development challenges.

In his remarks, Punjab's Finance Minister, Surinder Singla, said the report was remarkable for its focus on human capital formation, an area that according to him, had slipped in priority as the State passed through the difficult challenge of tackling militancy in the 80s and the 90s. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion, included noted economist S.S. Johal, who is the Vice-Chairman Punjab State Planning Board, his Deputy R.R. Bhardwaj, and Secretary Planning A.R. Talwar.

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Development projects yet to take off, rues Amarinder