After posting 4.14 per cent during 2012-13, the State’s growth rate is expected to exceed 5 per cent this year.
Indicating this in his address in the Assembly, Governor Rosaiah said on Thursday that to provide stimulus to the economy, the government had substantially increased the Plan expenditure target to Rs. 37,128 crore this year, and it would be further enhanced to Rs. 42,185 crore during 2014-2015.
“There is a revival in industrial and agricultural production, which would result in a rebound in the service sector growth,” Mr Rosaiah said.
The Governor reiterated the State government’s position that the National Food Security Act would not achieve the goal of food security effectively. The implementation of the Madurai-Tuticorin Industrial Corridor was gathering pace and would facilitate the growth of manufacturing hubs, knowledge hubs and agricultural production.
Mr. Rosaiah, who provided an account of the status of implementation of various projects and schemes of the State government, referred to the government’s move to launch a “state portal on employment” as an integrated platform for job seekers and employers. The proposed portal would offer a single window of information on job counselling, training and placement facilitation. The State would also seek funding and technical support for the State Skill Development Mission from international funding agencies.
Referring to the government’s decision to extend the benefit of post-matric scholarship to reimburse tuition fees to Adi-Dravidar and Tribal students studying even in private colleges, the Governor said the move had created a “revolution” in education and brought the students into the mainstream of higher education, and the government had stepped up the post-matric scholarship provision to Rs.936.46 crore from the Budget Estimates of Rs.396.88 crore for 2013-2014.
