The Annual Plan for Delhi for 2012-13 was on Thursday finalised at Rs. 15,862 crore at a meeting between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and State Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
In his initial remarks, Mr Ahluwalia lauded Delhi’s performance in all sectors and highlighted a number of initiatives it has taken which have helped in expediting the pace of development. The Commission, he said, would suggest to other States to learn from the Delhi experience.
Special focus
Hailing Delhi’s special focus on the social sector in which allocation is set to go up from 63 per cent to 65 per cent during the 12th Plan period, Mr. Ahluwalia said the process of Plan finalisation was nearing completion and he would request all States to suggest measures they would like to be adopted for improving the efficiency of Central schemes.
The new Plan, he said, will have added emphasis on urbanisation and such issues need to be flagged for evolving a more comprehensive approach.
For the first time since 1951, it was pointed out that the decadal growth rate of population in the NCT of Delhi has been recorded lower at 20.96 per cent in 2011 Census (47.02 per cent in 2001). The rapid population increase has raised density of population from 9,340 persons per square kilometre in 2001 to 11,297 persons per sq. km. in 2011. While the urban segment constitutes 97.50 per cent of the State’s total population, the literacy rate in Delhi has also increased from 81.67 per cent (Census 2001) to 86.34 per cent in 2011.
Female literacy rate in NCT Delhi was 74.71 per cent in 2001 which rose to 80.93 per cent as against the corresponding national average of 53.67 per cent and 65.46 per cent, respectively.
However, the sex ratio, i.e. number of females per 1000 males, for the State in 2011 was 866 as compared to 940 at the all-India level. The child sex ratio (0-6 years) has declined from 868 (2001) to 866 (2011). It was observed that the sex ratio and the child sex ratio in Delhi as compared to the all-India level are very low. Delhi’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) increased from Rs.1,00,325 crore in 2004-05 to Rs.2,13,429 crore in 2011-12 and the per capita net state domestic product (NSDP) was Rs.63,877 in 2004-05 which increased to Rs.1,19,032 in 2011-12 as against the all-India average of Rs.38,005. NCT of Delhi continues to register higher percentage growth of GSDP and per capita NSDP than the all-India level.
In her comments on the Plan strategy for the current fiscal and the 12th Plan, Ms. Dikshit said the State Government would work to giving Delhi an image of a caring city where every citizen proudly aspires to and secures a future for himself and his family. She said the State has opted for a zero loan budget that would get around 92 per cent funding from its own sources. She said the 12th Plan outlay of Rs. 90,000 crore would include Rs.83,137 crore from its own resources.
The Chief Minister said that the new schemes to be launched in this year would include ‘Dilli SwarozgarYojana’ under which members of SC/ST, OBC and minorities would get a loan of Rs. 5 lakh for self-employment.
A scheme to make Delhi a kerosene-free city would also be launched shortly.
