India Targets To Encourage Trade Tamil Nadu Budget Focusses On Farmers, Womenvolumes

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu budget for 2008-09 has proposed several measures for small farmers and women, including sanction of new crop loans of Rs.1,500 crore and formation of 4 lakh new self-help groups for women. Also, 10,000 SHGs of farmers will be formed and the groups will be provided a total of Rs.10 crore as revolving fund.

Interlinking of rivers in the State, making Women''s Commission a statutory body, broadband internet for police stations, setting up of emergency trauma care centres, abolishing of special fees in schools, providing computers for the remaining government high schools and higher secondary schools, establishment of separate welfare boards for persons in the publishing industry, powerloom weavers and Narikoravas, setting up five new engineering and two new medical colleges, provision of Rs.2,000 crore for the rural employment guarantee scheme, addition of 3,500 new buses to the state transport corporation''s fleet and establishment of four more special economic zones are some of the schemes announced in the budget.

Government employees stand to gain considerably since they have been promised that the "government will examine the order of the [Sixth Pay Commission] and take expeditious action to issue orders." There is also a hike in reimbursement of their medical expenses.

Plan Panel Agrees To Provide Rs.16,000 Crore For State

Chennai: Consequent to the Tamil Nadu Government''s performance in executing the last year''s annual plan, the Planning Commission has agreed to provide Rs. 16,000 crore for the State.The Annual Plan for Tamil Nadu for 2008-09 was finalised in New Delhi on Monday at a meeting between Finance Minister Anbazhagan and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is expected to make a formal announcement on the plan size and priorities on Feb 12. Officials said the State had got what it had wanted to carry forward the capital and development works that it had planned to execute next year.

Last year, the Plan outlay was Rs 14,000 crore. This included an additional Central assistance of Rs.200 crore provided for projects of special assistance to the State. Normally, for States that are able to raise resources to utilise the allocated plan size, a ten per cent increase is the norm for the succeeding year. But because the State performed well in all parameters, it had sought more than the norm. This has been agreed to, according to sources. The State, during the Eleventh Plan period, has an outlay of Rs.80,000 crore. Mr. Karunanidhi has made it clear that agriculture would get top priority. He also wanted the Planning Commission to ensure Central funding for the peninsular component of inter-linking of rivers project during the Eleventh Plan period because this would help State in revitalising agriculture, benefiting millions.