New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Leaders of Congress-ruled states Thursday cited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s policies for maintaining the economy’s strength despite the global meltdown as they supported the draft 12th Five Year Plan at the National Development Council meeting here.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Haryana’s Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kerala’s Oommen Chandy said the prime minister’s policies helped the country steer the economy in difficult times.
The Congress chief ministers also asked for more central assistance and made other various demands.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna wanted the central government to put special category hill states on equal footing, while Himachal Pradesh’s Virbhadra Singh said his government would merge its planning with the central government to ensure faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth in the 12th Plan period and said the state needed to develop its manufacturing sector.
Bahuguna wanted more funds for building roads and Chandy asked for faster clearances to tourism-related infrastructure projects. Rajasthan sought more drinking water schemes.
