New Delhi, Oct 22(ANI): Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has called for effective implementation of developmental schemes while addressing the chief ministers of different states during the National Development Council (NDC) meet here today.
The NDC meeting was attended by various state chiefs and was called to approve the Approach Paper to India's 12th Five-Year Plan, the country's economic growth plan for the period 2012-2017.
Ahluwalia stressed on the need to make optimum utilization of information and technology with an aim to promote transparency and improve the efficacy of the various schemes that were introduced to promote development.
"The feedback we have got is that while these schemes focus on the right areas, but their implementation leaves a great deal to be desired. One of the problems, that is frequently mentioned is the proliferation of centrally sponsored schemes, the Prime Minister has already referred to this," Ahluwalia said.
"The approach paper also mentioned many other ways of improving governance and promoting innovation, all of which would help improve implementation. Extending e-governance to the Panchayat (village council) level and introducing transparency in government programs would help improve performance by powering stakeholders. The use of the UID (unique identification) number combined with the benefits of IT can help reduce leakage and increase efficiency in many schemes," he added.
He further said that a Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS) would be chalked out for the same and it would help to monitor government programmes in the social sector and also enable them to track the funds that were disbursed for the same.
He added that the need is to bring about reforms in the power sector as it was reeling under heavy loss.
He stated that there was need to hike the power tariffs as many companies had not revised the rates since a decade.
"We have to move urgently to implement the package of (power) distribution reforms, combined with tariff increases, which will make the distribution companies viable for all additional sales. This would still leave the legacy problem of loans to cover past losses, which will have to be handled separately," the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman said.
"The 12th Plan version of the accelerated power development reform program should be tailored to provide resources to the state taking credible steps along these lines. Another area in energy management, where the states have a major role is energy efficiency in buildings. New energy efficient building standards have been notified, but only two states have made them mandatory.
I would urge all Chief Ministers to mandate the new standards in their states for all new commercial buildings including government buildings," he added.
Ahluwalia also said that in order to ensure that the country treads on the path of growth, there was need to conserve energy and effectively manage it.
The Approach Paper provides an overall policy framework to be followed during the five-year period to achieve the intended growth rate.
It was approved by the Planning Commission on August 20 and later by the Union Cabinet on September 15 (ANI)
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