UP gets 23 spending hike from Plan panel

It is a however a mix of loan and grants and also includes some of the expenditure which till last year was being sent directly to the local level bodies and non-governmental organisations for running the Centres flaghsip schemes like the NREGA,Mid day meal schemes and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Emerging from a two-hour long meeting with the Commissions deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia,Yadav expressed satisfaction on bagging a higher plan size. The first meeting of the first year. When we meet regularly,we will put forward out demands. The first meeting was not bad. It is a very good beginning, he said when asked about the demand for a Rs 90,000 crore special package for development in Uttar Pradesh.

The money includes funds for development of backward Bundelkhand and eastern regions.

Last year UP had got Rs 47,000 crore. The Centre has already told the state it is willing to clear some of the pending dues of the state amounting to Rs 45,000 crore.

The Planning Commission raised concern over under performance of the state in the health sector. The infant mortality rate has come down to 61 only against the Plan target of 35 per 1,000. The Commission told the chief minister that the literacy rate is also below the national average. In line with the priority of the 12th Plan,the state should also focus on education and health sectors.