The Himachal Pradesh Planning Department Wednesday approved the annual plan of Rs 7,100 crore for 2019-20, an official spokesperson said.

The annual plan for 2019-20 has been increased by Rs 800 crore from last year's annual plan of Rs 6,300 crore, thereby, registering an increase of 12.70 percent, he said.

Social services sector, transport and communication, agriculture and allied activities, energy, and irrigation and flood control have been given added priority in the annual plan, he added.

An outlay of Rs 3,048.15 crore has been proposed for social service sector which is 42.93 percent of the total outlay, the chief minister said.

The funds allocated for education and health sector would help in improving the human development indicators and making the growth process in the state more inclusive.

Thakur said the transport and communication sectors are being given the second priority with proposed outlay of Rs 1,241.98 crore, which is 14.49 per cent of the total outlay. He said this has been done to link feasible villages with motorable roads and maintenance of the existing infrastructure.

Agriculture and allied activities sector have been given third priority with an proposed outlay of Rs877.25 crore. This has been done keeping in view the fact that this sector provides direct employment to about 62 per cent of the total working population in the state.

Thakur further said Rs 711.06 crore has been proposed for energy sector, Rs 457.48 crore for irrigation and flood control, Rs 335.15 crore for general economic services and Rs 133.89 crore for other general services sector.

An outlay of Rs 133.65 crore has been proposed for rural development, Rs 95.59 crore for industries and minerals, Rs 38.02 crore for science, technology and environment and Rs 27.78 crore for special area programme.

The chief minister said an outlay of Rs 1,788.49 crore has been provided for Scheduled Caste Sub Plan for the implementation of schemes largely benefiting scheduled caste population.

Similarly, Rs 639 crore has been provided under the Tribal Area Sub Plan and Rs 80 crore has been allocated for Backward Area Sub Plan.

Thakur said externally aided projects worth Rs 1,217.82 crore have been proposed to be implemented in agriculture, horticulture, forests, minor irrigation, power, roads, tourism, technical education, rural water supply and urban development with the assistance of World Bank, Asian Development Bank, (JICA).

He said that Rs735 crore has been proposed under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) loan funding from NABARD. Under this, a sum of Rs 427 crore has been proposed for roads and bridges, Rs 143 crore for rural water supply schemes, Rs 125 crore for minor irrigation schemes and Rs 40 crore for soil conservationand flood control.

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