Abstract: The West Bengal Annual Plan 2008-09 would look for the all round development of the state. The State would continue on the strategy of employment oriented growth.
West Bengal Annual Plan 2008-09 - Overview
The West Bengal Annual Plan 2008-09 was approved and announced on 6th of February, 2008, in a meeting between Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The annual plan was sanctioned Rs 11602.38 crores, which includes additional central assistance for special projects, which are important for the state amounting to Rs. 150 crores.
The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission has congratulated the vast degree of improvements going on in the state at the present moment. The trend at present is exhibiting both a sound growth rate and wide a range of development programs. The West Bengal State Domestic Product Growth rate was 8.1 % in the period 2005 -06 and it would definitely touch 9% mark as projected in the Eleventh Plan very soon.
West Bengal Annual Plan 2008-09 - Salient Features
The Centrally sponsored schemes were made flexible by the commission in order to ensure the proper utilization of the funds allocated to the states.
- The commission suggested the state government to implement the Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) as the aid from the central government is likely to the increased in the coming year.
- The State's support towards implementation of national horticulture mission should be improved.
- The state would pursue its employment oriented growth strategy, and focus on small and micro enterprises (SME), agriculture based activities, and infrastructure development activities.
- The state plans on the extension of the Kisan Credit Card facility to all the households, and provisions of loans the self-help groups.
- The Central assistance to the minority welfare programmes and vocational training programs would be increased.
- The Sundarban region would receive special attention as the Planning Commission is endowed with work of preparing a master plan for the region.
