Imphal, January 05 2010: The State Government is expected to take a definite decision on extension of 6th Central Pay facility to its employees in a week's time.

On the other hand, as the Central Government has not released the plan amount of the State, the State Government has utilised only 35 percent of the plan amount till December, 2009 .

According to a reliable source, consequent to the responsibility entrusted to the Finance Department for working out the expenditure that would be required on extension of 6th Central Pay facility to its employees, the State Government is likely to take a definite decision in this regard in a week's time.

Extension of the 6th Central Pay facility may also be effected from the day of taking the decision, the source disclosed, adding that the State Government would be spending an additional amount of Rs 700 crores annually in providing the benefit of 6th Central Pay to its employees.

Meanwhile, a review meeting of the plan expenditure of the State Government was held today with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in the chair.

The meeting attended by Ministers, Chief Secretary, Commissioners, Secretaries and heads of various Departments reviewed the plan expenditure for the current fiscal year.

As the plan amount of the State for the current fiscal year had been finalised late in August last year and the Central Government has not released the earmarked plan amount in time, only 35 percent of the plan amount has been expended till December last year, the source disclosed.

It further disclosed that the plan amount of the State for the current fiscal year which was fixed at Rs 2000 crores has been subsequently revised by the Planning Commission at Rs 2020 crores.

Of the total plan amount of the State, Rs 1300 crores are earmarked for various sectors.

However, the Centre has released only Rs 165 crores so far.

In the meeting today, the Chief Minister instructed all the Departments to fix the target of utilising upto 70 percent of the allocated fund amount within the current month and ensure completion of the pending works so that the Centre would release further fund.

The Chief Minister also directed the Finance Department to release the pending fund of the various Departments without any delay.

In connection with finalising the plan size of the State for the next fiscal year, 2010-2011, a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and State Government officials to discuss the resources of the State has been convened on January 18 .

It may be recalled here that the State Cabinet has proposed a plan size of Rs 3232 crores for the next fiscal year.

This is an increase of 30 percent from the plan size of the State in the current fiscal year.

The proposed plan size include a sum of Rs 800 crores under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) .

The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission is scheduled to finalise the plan size of the State for the next fiscal year within the current month.

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