Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, complimented the State for Plan achievement and progress in agriculture. He said there was distinct upswing in horticulture and suggested that the State should avail benefit from the National Horticulture Mission to further improve quality of products. Performance in rural development and education was also appreciated.
He said with the help of Central initiatives, the State has succeeded in creating investment friendly environment and has been implementing development programmes despite difficult fiscal situation. Pace of harnessing huge hydropower potential should be accelerated as it can substantially improve State's revenue resources. Emphasis should be laid on providing tourism infrastructure facilities, which is a major impediment in converting enormous tourism potential to economic advantage. He said connectivity to the villages and supply of drinking water to the area suffering from drinking water shortage should be given priority.
Attention was also drawn to growing losses of State Electricity Board and inadequate allocation of funds to special component Plan.
Briefing the Commission on performance of the State, the Chief Minister said a number of measures have been taken to improve resource mobilization which include increase in road tax and power tariff. He said farming sector is being diversified to take optimum advantage of agro-climatic conditions and efforts are on to generate additional hydel capacity of 6328 MW by 2010. A comprehensive power policy has been put in place to facilitate exploitation of hydro potential. The new forest policy is aimed at bigger role for Panchayati Raj Institutions in preserving and expanding forests.