Reducing regional disparities main focus

Laying roadmap for the socio-economic development of the country for the next five year was the most significant achievement of the Planning Commission during the year. According to an official release highlighting the achievements of the Planning Commission, the Tenth Five year Plan which was approved by the National Development Council only last week has laid emphasis employment generation, reducing regional disparities and improving social infrastructure together with poverty reduction. In order to achieve these targets the commission has set a target of 8 per cent growth rate for this period. The Commission was able to get the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-07) finalised by NDC in its first year, 2002 whereas the Ninth Plan (1997-2002) was cleared by the NDC only after two years of its commencement. In 2002, two reports, one on small scale enterprises and the other on employment, were released by Planning Commission deputy chairman K. C. Pant. The steering committee on FDI for the Tenth Plan, which was set up under the chairmanship of commission member N. K. Singh, submitted its report to Prime Minister in September.