R'than gets Rs 40,500 cr this year

The Planning Commission on Wednesday approved Rs 40,500 crore outlay for Rajasthan for the financial year beginning April 1, 2013, and asked the state to make a long-term strategy to meet water requirements.

The plan outlay for the next financial year was finalised during a meeting between Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

During the meeting, Ahluwalia said water security was a major challenge for the state and a careful approach was needed to meet the growing demands. He said drip irrigation and recycling of used water was desirable and the government should work out strategy to meet this requirement.

He offered the Planning Commission support in working out a long-term plan to meet the state’s water requirements, a Planning Commission statement here said.

The plan panel complimented Rajasthan for achieving an impressive 7.9 per cent average annual farm sector growth during the 11th Plan period (2007-12) as compared to the national average of 3.7 per cent.

Overall growth was also better than many other states.