Annual Plan takes note of evacuee burden
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI AUG. 27.- The Planning Commission is now busy preparing the annual plan for 1972-73 taking into consideration the burden of the Bangladesh refugees on India’s economy. The committee of the National Development Council is scheduled to meet on October 10 and 11 to finalize the plan.
Indicating this to newsmen here today. Mr. C. Subramaniam, the Planning Minister said he was against cuts in expenditure on development programs. He was of the opinion that if the tempo of development was reduced, it would lead to greater inflationary trend.
At the same time, Mr. Subramaniam felt they would have to see how far non plan expenditure could be reduced and consumption in specific areas curtailed. He said the reappraisal of the Fourth Plan was going on according to schedule and it was likely to be completed on November 14.
Mr. Subramaniam disclosed that the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Science and Technology had recommended the setting up of a National Committee on Science and Technology to recommend among others the priorities in research and development and matching of the science and technology plan with the socioeconomic needs. There will be a full-time chairman for the committee with the setting up of the committee, the present Committee on Science and Technology will be wound up. One of the suggestions of the Sarkar Committee was the setting up of such a committee.
The Planning Minister admitted that it might not be possible to open the entire Rs. 25 crores provided in this year’s budget for schemes to create jobs for the educated unemployed. The Planning Commission was now considering programmes in this respect and one area where sufficient employment could be created was the survey of natural resources. He indicated that a national board for natural resources in which all the existing agencies engaged in survey of natural resources would be represented was being set up to coordinate the survey activities.
The Planning Minister who has recently been elected to the Lok Sabha from Krisnagiri in Tamil Nadu is planning to visit the UK and the USA towards the end of next month. Apart from having a series of talks with the Senators, Congressmen and officials there on India’s point of view in regard to Bangladesh.
Mr. Subramaniam is also scheduled to attend the meeting of the International Rice Institute in Manila early next month.
The overall deficit in the Union budget for 1971-72 will be much less than indicated by the Government, Mr. Subramaniam said adds UNI.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 28.08.1971