10% growth by 2047, vision document in the works: Punjab FM Harpal Cheema

Chandigarh, June 12

Finance and Planning Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the government was drafting a vision document to achieve 7.5 per cent per annum growth in the economy by 2030 and 10 per cent by 2047. He said it would act as the guiding document for successive governments.

Addressing a press conference here, Cheema said the document, being drafted by the Planning Department, would highlight the current status, sector-wise challenges, strategies and short-term and long-term targets. “It aims at converging efforts of different administrative departments and agencies to meet the challenges and achieve the identified sectoral goals,” he said.

The Finance Minister said the document would highlight the grey areas which require serious and rigorous efforts to rejuvenate the state’s economy, while giving impetus to employment, industry, agriculture, rural development and infrastructure development. “Efforts are being made to focus on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education, health infrastructure and provisioning, achieving gender equality, affordable and clean energy, climate action and natural resource conservation,” said Cheema.

He said the government was committed to regain the old glory of the state through effective economic policies and people-oriented programmes like ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’. He said so far three Cabinet meetings had been held in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Mansa under the ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’ programme.

Highlighting its importance, Cheema said during the programme, people, organisations and NGOs could raise their issues directly before the Cabinet minister of the department concerned. “I along with my Cabinet colleague Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal held meetings with 23 unions and associations during the programme in Mansa recently,” said Cheema, adding that the programme helped the government in getting direct feedback from the people.

Cheema said during the recent Cabinet meeting held in Mansa, a decision was taken to regularise the services of 14,239 teachers.

To highlight grey areas

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the vision document would highlight the grey areas which required serious & rigorous efforts to rejuvenate the state’s economy, while giving an impetus to employment, industry, agriculture, rural development & infrastructure development.