Shimla, June 24: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly today unanimously adopted a resolution thanking Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for giving additional plan assistance of Rs 553 crore to the state. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister V B Singh, was supported by members of both treasury and opposition benches.
Moving the resolution, Singh said bold steps and corrections were required to put things in order in the state.

Exclusion of non-plan expenditure amounting Rs 800 crore from the annual plan of 2003-04 was one step in the reform process, he said. Singh said the annual plan of Rs 1,335 crore for the current year, which included the PM's assistance, was bigger than last year's plan in real terms and assured that more funds would be available for developmental works.

The Chief Minister said the exclusion of non-plan expenditure amounting to Rs 1,000 crore from the plan was initiated with the advice and concurrence of the Planning Commission. Speaking on the resolution, leader of the opposition and former chief minister P K Dhumal said the BJP had requested the Prime Minister to continue the additional financial support of Rs 553 crore for the state plan.

He said besides giving "liberal" financial assistance to the state, Vajpayee had also approved several other projects.

Himachal Vikas Congress chief Sukh Ram praised the prime minister for the financial assistance and for clearing mega projects like Parvati hydro power project, Kol Dam project and Rohtang tunnel project. Bureau Report