Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today emphasized the need to change the policy orientation by initiating new methods to measure development keeping in view the well-being of people as a pivot of nation’s planning process.These views were expressed by the Chief Minister while addressing the 57th meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) on the draft of 12th Five Year Plan chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here at Vigyan Bhawan. He said, “We have achieved high growth rate in the economy in terms of infrastructure development, capital intensive industrialization and high investment however large sections of people have remained excluded from the growth story.”
The Chief Minister exhorted the planners to endeavor for achieving the envisioned growth by evolving a growth strategy focused at reducing disparities within regions, within states and within rural and urban population in each state. Mr Badal unequivocally said the main focus of planning should be to look beyond the GDP growth rates and per capita incomes to ensure comprehensive policies aimed at citizen’s well being. Quoting Prime Minister he said, “We need a new wave of creative thinking on these issues. Old way of thinking has run their course.” adding that Mr Badal said that these words must be put into practice by making the plans need based and giving priority to human welfare.
The Chief Minister lamented the country had been unable to cope up with the problems of poverty, unemployment besides providing basic amenities like education, healthcare, drinking water etc. even after 60 years of planning. Mr Badal pointed out the current economic model had focused more on growth rate rather than human development which resulted in the decline of the overall human development index of the country from 127 in 2005 to 134 in 2011. He said the position of country’s Human Development indicators was quite dismal as compared to other countries as these indicators continued to be lower in contrast with other countries India ranked 125th in per capita income, 109th in unemployment, 149th in illiteracy, 153rd in Infant mortality rate and 56th in poverty besides it figured amongst the top 15 hunger stricken nations.
The Chief Minister mentioned though the country has implemented 11 Five Year Plans since independence, and the focus of the latest 11th Five Year Plan was “Faster and Inclusive Growth”, yet the country and its people face many challenges. Mr Badal bemoaned that as per latest definition of poverty of per capita per day expenditure of Rs 26 and Rs 32 in rural and urban areas, 29.8% of the population continued to be below the poverty line. He said that the current economic model which focused on higher growth had resulted in inequalities and the gap between the rich and poor was ever widening thereby a large chunk of population like Scheduled Castes, minorities and people in rural areas have remained excluded from the growth story.
The Chief Minister rued that since independence; the federal structure of the country had been gradually diluted thereby paving a way for strengthening of unitary system. Mr Badal said that funds were given to the states in a tied manner through Central schemes which never served the desired purposes of the state in order to meet the needs of the people. Highlighting the faulty formula of devolution of funds to the state, he said the Center took away major share of 68% of the total taxes collected thereby leaving the states with only 32% adding that a state like Punjab got merely 1.39%. The Chief Minister pleaded for genuine federalism which could be the only panacea for all such ills.Urging the Government of India to immediately help the state in promoting farm persification, the Chief Minister demanded a technology mission for 'persification of Agriculture with an allocation of Rs 5000 crore for green revolution states on the lines of Rs 4000 crore 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) to be included in the 12th Five Year Plan. Mr Badal also urged the GoI to release the relief package forthwith as promised by it to bail out the Punjab farmers and the state government in the wake of drought like conditions during Kharif-2012.
The Chief Minister stated that in Kharif 2012, despite 42% deficit rainfall the state and farmers ensured a bumper production of 133 lakh metric tons of marketable paddy at a huge extra cost. Subsequently, the Group of Ministers (GoM) led by Mr Sharad Pawar announced a drought relief package, which had not been provided to Punjab till date rather the state was apprised that the central government would soon withdraw from the purchase of Wheat and Paddy therefore Mr Badal said that the persification was the only way out and it could only be possible with a strong support from the GoI. Apart from this he also demanded a remunerative MSP and assured marketing system for alternative crops Maize, Soyabean, Cotton and Sugarcane etc to give a fillip to the much needed farm persification program in the state. The Chief Minister also impressed upon the Centre to treat Animal Husbandry activities like diary, poultry, fishery, piggery etc. at par with agriculture for exemption from income tax, interest rates etc. Mr Badal also asked the centre to give liberal fixed annual grants to the leading agricultural universities for research.
Outlining the scenario of agriculture in the state, the Chief Minister said that 69% of the population was dependent on Agriculture for their livelihood besides provided food security to the nation. He said 77% of the people were engaged in agriculture and contributed 43% to the GSDP, in 1971 adding that now, 69% of people are still dependent on agriculture but their contribution has come down drastically to 14%, showing their deteriorating economic condition. Mr Badal said that Agriculture was facing serious crisis and was no longer a remunerative preposition. Moreover the MSP has not also kept pace with the rising cost of agriculture inputs. He said that farmers were abandoning agriculture and as per a minister’s statement in the Parliament 2.90 lakh farmers have committed suicides in the last 15 years. Consequently the number of small farmers had considerably decreased from 5 to 3 lakhs in the state. Mr Badal revealed that Punjab farmers were reeling under a whopping debt of Rs 35000 crore Dwelling on the major initiatives to boost Power sector in the state, the Chief Minister said that three thermal power plants of 3920 MW capacity were likely to be commissioned between May, 2013 and May, 2014. However, he said that Coal India Limited has expressed its inability to provide full coal linkage therefore the GoI should ask the state having access to ports to import coal whereas the landlocked states like Punjab should be provided with full coal linkage by Coal India.
Referring to the industrial scenario in Punjab, the Chief Minister said that despite availability of power, excellent infrastructure and complete Industrial peace and harmony, the state had a disadvantage due to its landlocked location with a hostile border adding that prolonged militancy, abolition of freight equalization policy and tax concessions to neighboring states have further contributed to decline in industrial growth. Mr Badal envisaged some specific measures needed to be taken during the next five year plan for the rejuvenation and revival of the industry in the state adding he urged upon the GoI to extend Delhi – Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Eastern Freight Corridor upto Amritsar (Attari Border). Apart from this the Chief Minister demanded that Punjab, being an agricultural state, should be provided assistance for agro-processing industries with the same incentives as given to neighboring hill states. In a bid to boost the cross border trade between India and Pakistan in a big way, Mr Badal asked the Centre to permit trade in all about 6,000 items being traded between Mumbai – Karachi sea route through the land route at ICP Attari. Likewise, he also impressed the GoI to persuade Pakistan for granting MFN status to India and to allow trade to the Central Asian countries through land route.
The Chief Minister pleaded for restoring the earlier formula in terms of weightage for area and fuel consumption in the ratio of 40:60, which has now been changed to 70:30, thereby depriving the state government from its legitimate share in Central Road Fund (CRF). Mr Badal recalled Punjab contributed about Rs 600 crore per year in terms of levy of cess of Rs. 1.5 per litre on diesel and petrol to CRF.
Listing the priorities in Health sector, the Chief Minister pointed out that the state has recorded sharp decline in Infant Mortality Rate from 44 in 2006 to 30 in 2011. He said that GoI has rated health infrastructure in the state as excellent however as per latest 2011 census, there was requirement of additional 513 Sub Centres which needed sanction by the Union Government. Welcoming the decision of Government of India for upgradation of selected district hospitals for tertiary care during the 12th plan period, Mr Badal said that the National Urban Health Mission should be launched immediately without any further delay. The Chief Minister urged GoI to assist the state in up-gradation of Government Medical College, Patiala. He also applauded the Union Ministry of Health’s decision for enhancing the number of MBBS and PG seats in Government Medical Colleges and liberalizing the norms for establishment of new medical colleges across the state.
On the Education front, the Chief Minister said that the concerted efforts of state government resulted in securing first position in Education Development Index for Punjab amongst the major states in year 2011-2012 as compared to 14th position in 2006-07. However Mr Badal said that the rural population was badly hit due to disparities in both the quality of life as well as of education between the rural and urban sectors. Laying stress on the need of providing equal opportunities to the rural students especially in this age of competition, he advocated that sincere efforts should be made to offer enormous opportunities of affordable quality education to the bright and meritorious students particularly in the rural areas. Henceforth the Chief Minister demanded that the GoI should set up fully residential schools for free quality education to the talented and intelligent students of the rural areas.
Seeking top priority for the skill development of the youth particularly from the rural areas, the Chief Minister demanded that the 12th Five Year plan should lay major thrust on it to enable our youth gainfully employed. He said that the state government had already finalized the sites for 247 centers out of the proposed 250 skill development centers in first phase adding that now the Centre should expedite the implementation of this decision. Besides the GoI should assist the state in setting up of 73 new ITIs in the blocks where at present there is no government ITI, added Mr Badal.Showing concern over the welfare of Schedule Castes and Backward classes, the Chief Minister said that no criterion had been laid so far for giving due weightage to the state in the devolution of central taxes for the well being of this important segment of society despite Punjab had the highest SC population of 31%. He said that Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana was launched in 2009-10 for villages having more than 50% of Scheduled Caste population however no village in the state has been covered under this scheme. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Finance Minister Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Vice Chairman Punjab State Planning Board Mr Rajinder Gupta, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr SK Sandhu and Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema.