UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s bid for one-upmanship over his predecessor on Wednesday turned out to be an indirect compliment for Mayawati regime in the state for achieving 7.2 percent economic growth.
Mr Yadav was here at Yojna Bhawan to discuss the state’s plan size for the year 2012-13 with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. In the meeting, it was agreed to have a plan size of `57,800 crore, which included `800 crore central assistance for Kumbh Mela.
Sources close to the meeting revealed that when Mr Ahluwalia did the pep talk suggesting that nation’s targeted growth in the 12th Plan (2012-13) is “integral to the UP’s performance” for its being the biggest state, Mr Yadav reminded the deputy chairman that in the downturn, if the state could “achieve 7.2 percent of growth, my government would strive to reach 10 percent level during the plan period”.
Expressing satisfaction over the approved outlay for the state, Mr Yadav said it is a very good start. During the meeting, the chief minister is learnt to have said: “To achieve the targeted growth of 10 per cent in the terminal year of the 12th Plan (2012-17), an investment of `16.70 lakh crore will be required.”
After the meeting, Mr Ahluwalia said, “Rs 800 crore has been approved by the Commission for Kumbh Mela, which is in addition to the Rs 57,000 crore outlay for the state in 2012-13.”
The Commission had approved an outlay of Rs 47,000 crore in the previous financial year. The Centre has already cleared a package to the tune of 45,000 crore for Uttar Pradesh.
He informed the Commission that the new industrial and agriculture policies are being worked out and it would be announced shortly.