Puducherry: The Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, said here on Friday that he would have a discussion with the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission in New Delhi on February 19 to finalise the size of the XI Plan (2007-2012) and of the first year (2007-2008) of the XI Five-Year Plan for Puducherry.

The Puducherry State Planning Board had already estimated, at its recent meeting, that the XI Plan requirement would be Rs.10,000 crore and the first year of the five-year plan would be Rs.1,600 crore.

The Chief Minister said that the draft plans were finalised at the meeting of the Board, which would be placed before the Planning Commission for approval.

There would be thrust on development of infrastructure and promotion of tourism.

He said he had already written a letter to Union Home Minister seeking more powers to the Puducherry Government for speedy implementation of various programmes. Mr. Rangasamy, who would inaugurate the weeklong celebration of a festival in Karaikal later in the day, said that the festival was being held as part of the plans to showcase Karaikal in the tourism sector.

He maintained that his Government was keen about ensuring balanced development of all the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. He said that the memorandum of understanding, he and the Union Panchayati Raj Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had signed on Thursday was prepared by the local Government.

He had urged the Union Minister to grant sufficient funds to Puducherry Government to meet the financial requirements of the local bodies, he said.

His attention was drawn to the complaints of some sections of people that the roads in Puducherry needed to be properly maintained.

He said already work had been launched to relay roads.

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