Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday said that thrust will be given to ensuring faster and inclusive growth and sustainability in the approach paper to 12th five year plan. He said, the issues like cash subsidy and Public Private Partnership, especially raised by Bihar, will be addressed prominently.

He was speaking to reporters along with Union Minister of State for Planning Ashwini Kumar on the sidelines of the Regional Consultation with five Eastern States on the Approach Paper to be finalised by the Planning Commission.

Stating that the meeting of the Commission which began today was a consultation process, he said no decision was

taken during the meeting. Mr. Ahluwalia said, the commission will be holding similar types of meetings with North Eastern States, Southern and Western states in next two to three weeks.

Five eastern states of Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh suggested that the Planning Commission should consider local needs before finalising the approach paper for the 12th Five Year Plan.

Bihar Chief Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar and Orissa Chief Minister, Mr. Naveen Patnaik requested the Planning Commission to allocate funds in lieu of execution of central sponsored schemes.

Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister, Sudesh Mahto and representative of Chhattisgarh and West Bengal argued that the Planning Commission should allocate more funds to step up developmental schemes in the naxal affected areas.

Union Minister of State for Planning, Ashwai Kumar said that backward states lack in private investment and thus emphasis was on public investment to speed up the growth of such states.