Monitorable Targets For 11 - Punjab State Planning Board

4. Public investment in agriculture and allied sectors is being given special impetus
consistent with the guidelines of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and the National
Horticulture Mission. The State Government is adhering to its programme for providing drinking
water supply to all rural habitations by 2012. Reverse Osmosis Plants are being installed in South-
West Punjab to ensure safe drinking water to its villages. Education and Skill Development are
being accorded high priority with NABARD assisted Projects for EDUSAT and upgradation of
technical Institutions into multipurpose academies. The Medical Colleges and Health Institutions
are being upgraded and all staff vacancies are being filled up. The welfare of disadvantage
sections of the society has been accorded a high priority.
5. The State is set to take a maximum benefit of NREGS, JNNURM and other
flagship schemes of the Government of India. The State is committed to add to the comfort and
cleanliness of our cities. We are undertaking on large scale, the extension and augmentation of
urban water supply and sewerage system in various towns. Projects are set for containing urban
waste discharge into Budda Nallah, Holy Bein and Rivers Sutlej and Ghaggar. The State is
introducing Administrative and Police Reforms for Good Governance through effective citizen
delivery system. Computerization of Govt. offices, land records, common service centres, State
Data Centre, State Wide Area Network should make the Govt. functioning easy, efficient,
transparent and people friendly.
6. The State has consistently contributed more than 45% of wheat and 25% of rice
thereby ensuring National Food Security. The State provides a huge subsidy in shape of free
power to the farmers for record production of food grains. Inspite of Drought like situation in the
year 2009-10, the State produced 168.35 lac MT of paddy. The farmers incurred an additional
expenditure of Rs. 1000 Cr. for purchase of gensets and diesel. The State had to purchase
additional power amounting to Rs. 1420 Cr. The Govt. of India was requested to compensate the
State Govt. and the farmers for this extra cost but no relief has been announced in Union Budget
2010-11. Rather, the State is often put to disadvantage in allocation of funds under central
schemes. The State having hardly any unirrigated area is put to a disadvantage while allocating
funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Inspite of having 29% SC population, due to skewed
BPL criterion, the State does not receive any substantial grant for Poverty Alleviation
Programmes. Similarly due to high weightage on the income distance criterion, the devolution of
Central Taxes to the State is very less. The State, having provided primary schools as per national
norms, 100% rural link road connectivity and 100% rural electrification is deprived of adequate
funds under SSA, PMGSY and RGGVY. We urge the GoI to review the criteria of the above
2