Punjab aims to achieve growth rate of 7.5% by 2030: Minister

Chandigarh, June 12 (IANS) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the government has been drafting a vision document to achieve a rate of growth of the economy at 7.5 per cent per annum by 2030 and 10 per cent by 2047.

He said this document would act as a guide for successive governments to focus their efforts and policies in the right direction.

Cheema told the media here that the comprehensive vision document being drafted by the Planning Department would highlight the current status, sector-wise challenges, short-term (2030) and long-term (2047) targets, and strategies to achieve the identified targets.

"It aims at converging efforts of different administrative departments and agencies to meet the challenges and achieve identified sectoral goals," he said.

Divulging further, the Finance Minister said this document would also highlight the grey areas which require serious and rigorous efforts to rejuvenate the state's economy while giving impetus to employment, industry, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure development, sustainable cities, and communities.

"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.

The minister said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government is committed to regaining the old glory of the state by making of 'Rangla Punjab' through effective economic policies and people-oriented programs like 'Sarkar Tuhade Dwar'.

He said so far three Cabinet meetings have been held at Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Mansa under the 'Sarkar Tuhade Dwar' programme.

"For the first time in the state, a revolution has been brought in the entire governance system by making the bureaucracy directly accountable to the people," he added.