Thursday, January 12 2006 18:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Karnataka today (Jan 12, 2006) said it has decided to seek Planning Commission approval for Rs 15,050 crore plan size of the state for the year 2006-07, an increase by 11.per cent over the previous year's size of Rs 13,500 crore.

State's Finance Minister P G R Sindhya speaking to the press here said, the government has decided to seek hike in plan size of the coming year on the basis of its resource mobilisation and availability of funds, which he described as 'satisfactory'.

Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh and Sindhya along with top officials of the state will be meeting Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahuluwalia in Delhi tomorrow to finalise the state's plan size.

Sindhya said Singh and he would also be calling on Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to press for pending railway projects clearance and Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel to request for early approval to proposed airports in Hassan and Gulbarga.

He said they would also be calling on Union Food Minister Sharad Pawar to withdraw the hike in prices of PDS rice, which the Centre has kept on hold temporarily.

The prevailing political turmoil between coalition partners Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) will not affect state's 2006-07 budget preparations and its presentation during this March before the state legislature, Sindhya said.