Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 04 2009:
An annoyed Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh reportedly walked out from the meeting held to finalise the annual plan size of the State for the fiscal year 2009-10, when the Union Planning Commission proposed a plan size much below the projected figure.
According to an official source, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh met Deputy Chairman of Union Planning Commission Montek Singh Alluwalia at New Delhi to finalise the long delayed plan size of the State for the fiscal year 2009-10 .
However, when the Union Planning Commission proposed to grant Rs 1750 which is just an increase of Rs 90 crores from the last fiscal year, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh walked out of the meeting in a huff.
As a result, the plan size could not be finalised.
The State Government had proposed Rs 2425.92 crores, including a share of Rs 800 crores under SPA, as the annual plan size of the State for the fiscal year 2009-10, the finalisation of which has been delayed due to Parliamentary election.
After coming out of the meeting, an angry Ibobi raised various questions with the officials of the Planning Commission, the source informed, adding that the Planning Commission did not even agree to grant the amount of 20 percent hiked from the last fiscal year as instructed earlier.
The plan size of the last fiscal year was Rs 1660 crores.
Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board E Kunjeshore, Chief Secretary DS Poonia, Principal Secretary Planning AB Jha and other Planning officials were present during the meeting today.
In the current fiscal year, the State Govt has given priorities on social service sector, irrigation and flood control
and energy.