The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi gets Rs. 10,000-crore Annual Plan

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Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
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New Delhi

Delhi gets Rs. 10,000-crore Annual Plan

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Greetings: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in the Capital on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: The Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended a Rs.10,000-crore Annual Plan for Delhi and asked the Sheila Dikshit Government to give an increased thrust to the Yamuna Clean-up Action Plan.

“We have recommended a Plan size of Delhi for 2008-09 at Rs.10,000 crore, which is Rs.1,000 crore more than its existing Plan, and Delhi should be able to utilise it,” Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said after a meeting with Ms. Dikshit and her senior Cabinet colleagues here.

He said the State government would have to emphasise more on sewerage improvement and enter into long-term power purchase agreements, step up the pace of infrastructure development and increased thrust on social sectors.

Efforts lauded

The Commission lauded the Delhi government for facilitating Metro rail projects but asked it to plug water leakages, ease traffic congestion and encourage paid parking besides exploring the possibility of having public-private partnerships in drinking water supply.

The Commission also asked the Delhi government to contain the transmission and distribution losses in the power sector and use the coming Commonwealth Games as an opportunity to develop the National Capital Territory. The Delhi government is understood to have conveyed to the Commission that it would be self-sufficient in power by 2010. In the transport sector, the State would induct 5,000 new low-floor CNG buses. Ms. Dikshit also told the Commission that an Electricity Consumer Committee has been constituted to protect the interests of consumers, while plans were afoot to set up a Delhi Hawkers and Vendors’ Commission.

The Commission was informed that the government plans to give pension to eminent writers. – PTI

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