The Planning Commission Friday approved Rs.96 billion annual plan outlay for Chhattisgarh in 2008-09 as against Rs.74.13 billion previous year.

The plan outlay was finalised at a meeting between Chief Minister Raman Singh and the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

According to the proposals submitted to the commission, the state government intends to spend around Rs.14 billion on agriculture and Rs.5.96 billion on the rural development programmes. Power and transport sectors are likely to get Rs.15.18 and Rs.14.42 billion respectively.

The annual outlay also includes Rs.500 million for establishing and strengthening of infrastructure for collecting and marketing the minor forest produces in the state.

Lauding the performance of the government on several fronts, Ahluwalia said efforts should continue to make growth more inclusive, and income-supporting schemes especially in the tribal areas should be encouraged.

'The state needs to have more detailed district level planning to ensure that benefits of planning reach all sections of population. Focused attention should be made to improve agricultural productivity and institutional delivery system,' Ahluwalia said.

'In order the further strengthen food security, the government has decided to earmark Rs.7.72 billion for this in the new fiscal, while all villages and hamlets will have access to safe drinking water by March 2009,' Singh told reporters.