Rajasthan Plan: Centre okays 20 per cent hike

The Centre has approved an over 20 per cent hike in the annual plan for Rajasthan for the year 2008-09. With the approval, the plan size for the state in the coming financial year stands at Rs 14,000 crore. The Centre also agreed to provide Rs 100 crore for some special category projects to be taken up in the state.

At a meeting between CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Tuesday, a special mention was made by Ahluwalia on how the state had not only achieved the targets laid down in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, but had also achieved additional improvements in the revenue and fiscal deficit targets. It was pointed out in this regard that the interest payment liability had been contained and that there was a substantial increase registered in capital outlay. On some of the reform measures, it was highlighted that the state Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act had been repealed and that the stamp and registration duty was reduced to 8 per cent.