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Higher outlay needed to sustain growth: MP

PUDUCHERRY: Investments in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, industries, education and health will help sustain the tempo of growth in the Union Territory and this is possible only with a higher Plan outlay, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) M. Ramadass said in a letter to Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Sunday.

Mr. Ramadass has put forward a number of arguments to be placed before the Planning Commission and obtain the approval for the proposed Plan outlay of Rs. 2,000 crore for the Annual Plan for 2008-09 during the Chief Minister’s discussions with the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission on Monday to finalise the Plan size.

“Although the government of Puducherry has initiated steps to augment infrastructure, lack of heavy investment has halted the programmes in the four regions of the Union Territory,” he said.

Considering the growth of industry, information technology and financial institutions, Mr. Ramadass stressed on the need for airport, ports, road and railway connectivity in all the four regions. “We have to convince the Planning Commission that unless the investment is provided to create the required infrastructure, the development process will be hampered, which, in turn, could reduce the growth rate,” he added.

Already, the Ministry of Railways had approved the rail connectivity from Chennai to Cuddalore via Puducherry and it awaited the approval of the Planning Commission, Mr. Ramadass said, adding that the proposal must be emphasised during the discussion.

With the Planning Commission approving a total Plan outlay of Rs. 10,787 crore for the 11th Five Year Plan from 2007, the average Plan size for the next four years would be Rs 2,337 crore, he said, adding that the proposed outlay of Rs. 2,000 crore for 2008-2009 was less than the average Plan size.

Additional funding by the Planning Commission would help in region-specific special programmes of development, removing the socio-economic disparities between the four regions, he said.

The outlay earmarked under the Special Component Plan had not been fully utilised for the Scheduled Castes and this amount could increase only with a higher general Plan outlay, Mr. Ramadass said.

“Puducherry has to create an IT park, multi-product Special Economic Zone, port-based Special Economic Zone at Karaikal, development of IT corridor and expansion of Puducherry airport. The Planning Commission should be convinced about the need to start all the work this year, for which enhanced outlay is required,” he said.

Works such as deep sea fishing, development of textile mills and additional infrastructure, resources to local bodies would require higher funding, he added.

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