Eleventh Plan Final Document To Be Ready By Year-End

New Delhi: The final document specifying strategies and thrusts of the Eleventh Plan (2007-12) will be ready by the end of this year even as some of the important components of them have been recognized, discussed at length and incorporated in the Budget 2007, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said. They are now working on a full meeting on education which will take a complete view the entire pyramid elementary, secondary, higher secondary, higher education, technical education, vocational training within the secondary sector and skill development outside the education sector.

In terms of focus of the 11th Plan, foremost was agriculture to ensure greater exclusivity especially for rural areas and so doubling of the growth rate of agriculture was very crucial. Besides, emphasis will be on education and health and in the former they are planning a big increase in government resources into primary secondary and higher education and a major effort to improve health indicators including maternal mortality and child care.

Rapid appreciation of rupee has put a strain on the exporting community. On the whole given the volatility in the international markets they are managing the position reasonably well. Many exporters have shown inherent strength and capacity to increase productivity in spite of appreciation of the rupee. In the long-run, it is not the exchange rate that makes the difference but it is the inherent productivity of the industry.