Kerala Annual Plan 2008-09 was finalized on January 09, 2008 and was fixed at a budget of Rs.7700 crores. The meeting was held between the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri V.S Achutanandan. The education sector, tourism sector, and skill development programs were given special focus for improvement.

A Brief Note on Kerala Annual Plan 2008-09-

Kerala Annual Plan 2008-09 was finalized on January 09, 2008 at a meeting held between the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri V.S Achutanandan. The budget of the Kerala Annual Plan 2008-09 has been fixed at Rs.7700 crores. An additional assistance of Rs. 100 crores from the centre has also been included in the plan.

Mr. Ahluwalia has declared that certain development programs should be implemented in the education sector and tourism department in the state. The state government's efforts in maintaining a disciplinary financial system along with an improvement in the execution of the plan was appreciated by Mr. Ahluwalia.

The Panchayats and District Planning Board of Kerala were also empowered by the state government.

Kerala faced some crisis during the Tenth Plan Period on all the development sectors. Health and education sectors suffered badly during this period. The production rate decreased significantly. Adequate funds have been allotted to the crisis-ridden sectors such as agriculture, education, health, social welfare and security as a measure to cope up with the crisis. The Planning Commission also said that the small scale industries are enhanced without affecting the emerging sectors like I.T., modern industries and tourism in the Annual Plan 2008-09 for Kerala.

The centrally sponsored schemes are being made more flexible. This will ensure better usage of funds allotted and a better distribution of resources in the state as well. Mr. Ahluwalia has praised the social sector development activities being carried out by the state government especially in the field of elementary education, life expectancy and sex ratio in Kerala.

Certain activities such as revision of text books, measures to improve secondary education and free health care to the poorest 30 % of the state's population have been undertaken in Kerala. Substantial efforts have been undertaken in reviving crop production, production of coconuts, animal farming, dairy development and fisheries by the Government of Kerala.