After Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat has raised the issue of pricing and availability of coal and natural gas in a meeting with the Planning Commission. The annual plan for the Gujarat has been fixed at Rs 59,000 crore, higher by 15 per cent from the previous year.
GAS, COAL PRICING
According to sources, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in his meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, asked why State utilities of Gujarat have to pay more for the gas and coal produced in the State.
Modi also point out that the Gujarat units are given priority in the allocation of these locally produced fuels. But, ironically, units from outside the State get fuel not only at a cheaper price, but also on priority. Montek is understood to have said that the Planning Commission will take up these issues with the concerned departments. At the same time, he is also believed to have said that price revision of gas and coal can provide a solution to this issue.
After the meeting, Modi announced that Planning Commission has approved Rs 59,000 crore plan for Gujarat, compared to the Rs 58,500 crore sought by the State. However, he sparred with the Centre over social sector development in the State, as he countered the Planning Commission’s assessment that lot more needs to be done.
In the presence of Modi, Ahluwalia said Gujarat needs to do more in social sectors. “There was a lot of discussion on the social sector. I think generally it has been our view that Gujarat needs, in order to bring its social sector performance up to the economic size, to have some special attention to this area,” he remarked. When his turn came, the Gujarat Chief Minister retorted back saying the State spends 42 per cent of its budget on social sector with a moto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
GAS, COAL PRICING
According to sources, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in his meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, asked why State utilities of Gujarat have to pay more for the gas and coal produced in the State.
Modi also point out that the Gujarat units are given priority in the allocation of these locally produced fuels. But, ironically, units from outside the State get fuel not only at a cheaper price, but also on priority. Montek is understood to have said that the Planning Commission will take up these issues with the concerned departments. At the same time, he is also believed to have said that price revision of gas and coal can provide a solution to this issue.
After the meeting, Modi announced that Planning Commission has approved Rs 59,000 crore plan for Gujarat, compared to the Rs 58,500 crore sought by the State. However, he sparred with the Centre over social sector development in the State, as he countered the Planning Commission’s assessment that lot more needs to be done.
In the presence of Modi, Ahluwalia said Gujarat needs to do more in social sectors. “There was a lot of discussion on the social sector. I think generally it has been our view that Gujarat needs, in order to bring its social sector performance up to the economic size, to have some special attention to this area,” he remarked. When his turn came, the Gujarat Chief Minister retorted back saying the State spends 42 per cent of its budget on social sector with a moto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
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