Govt okays 12th Plan Approach Paper

The government today approved the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17) which seeks to push forth the second generation economic reforms,improving governance and raise annual economic growth rate to 9 per cent during impending five-year period. The Paper would be placed before the National Development Council (NDC) for its final approval on October 15 or 16.

The paper,approved by the Cabinet provides a broad framework of the government policy to be pursued in the five-year plan period to achieve the desired growth rate of 9 per cent was cleared by the Planning Commission on August 20. The NDC,the highest policy-making body of the country,is headed by the Prime Minister and its members include Union Ministers,members of Planning Commission,and Chief Ministers of all states.

Apart from giving more emphasis on inclusive growth,for the first time the Approach Paper has a chapter on governance and corruption. It suggests that measures should be taken to set up new institutions like the Lokpal and Lokayukta,indicating that corruption at various levels of administration is weakening the confidence of citizens in the quality of governance it claimed that the system provides ample opportunity to some to manipulate the state of affairs in their favour. Highlighting and anticipating intense conflict over land and water,which are prerequisite to development,the paper argues in favour of evolving institutional mechanism to deal with such issues.