The Planning Commission will hold a two-day zonal meeting of North Eastern states at Guwahati from Monday to chalk out priorities for the 12th Five Year Plan, beginning next year.

The basic aim of holding such a meeting is to go for area specific projects and programmes for the region.

Official sources said, the Planning Commission team, headed by its Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, will attend the meeting.

The first session will be with the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of the North-Eastern States followed by the second session with the industries associations.

The third session will be on the Social Welfare projects where Non- Governmental Organizations have been invited to attend. The last session will be with representatives of the urban local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions.

AIR Correspondent reports, the Planning Commission will finalize the 12th plan approach paper on the basis of the views presented by different organizations in the zonal consultative meeting and considering the development needs of the Region.

The Commission has fixed 9 to 9.5 per cent target for country’s GDP growth during the 12th Plan period.

Improved performance in Agriculture with at least 4 percent growth, faster creation of jobs in the manufacturing sector, rural connectivity, stronger efforts in health, education and skill development, reforming the implementation of the flagship programmes to increase their effectiveness- are high on the agenda of the meeting to fulfill the targeted growth during the period.