From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 8: The State Planning Board at its first meeting chaired by chief minister B S Yediyurappa in the city on Friday has decided to revamp the body with a new name as Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission (KSPPC).

Addressing the State Planning Board meeting, the chief minister said the state government was committed to ensuring achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 and would prepare an appropriate action plan.

Karnataka was presently ranked sixth in the entire country with a performance score of 66 out of the 100 in implementing the SDGs and was keen to improve its performance in poverty alleviation, eradication of hunger, gender equality, industrial innovation, infrastructure development and sustainable cities and communities.

Steps would be taken to improve the performance by constituting expert committees and develop appropriate action plans, Yediyurappa said.

The meeting attended by chief secretary P Ravikumar, Planning Board deputy chairman B J Puttaswamy, additional chief secretary Planning Department Shalini Rajneesh and development commissioner Vandita Sharma decided to formulate a comprehensive programme for the development of coastal districts and secure funds under Atma Nirbhar allocations to the 'Matsya Sampada’ Scheme.

Establishment of Karnataka Science City on public-private-participation (PPP) model, setting up of Planning Finance Fund on the Kerala Model, providing 1% of the allocations for all plan programmes for the Karnataka Innovation Schemes were among the other major decisions taken at the State Planning Board meeting, deputy chairman of State Planning Board B J Puttaswamy said briefing reporters after the meeting.

He said the meeting decided that Rs 600 crore will be allocated for the tribal development programmes and creation of a single-window agency for all poverty alleviation programmes for the poor and merger of all the district planning committees with the revamped Policy and Planning Commission.

Among the major decisions is, preparing a comprehensive report for the rejuvenation of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector through the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) and establishment of a Command, Control, Computers, Communication and Combat Dashboard of monitoring all programmes.

The other decisions taken at the State Planning Board are:

Establishment of SDG Outreach Centres in all universities and colleges in the state;

Setting up of a smart school for teaching students from 1st to 10th standard in each gram panchayat;

Bringing the District Planning Division under the purview of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission;

Priority for women in skill development programmes;

The synchronisation of all the 1745 schemes under a single umbrella programme on the model of the central government;

Subjecting all programmes of Rs 100 crore and above for compulsory evaluation;

The merger of all schemes involving an outlay below Rs 1 crore with other schemes involving larger financial outlays; and

Setting up Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) on the model of similar set-up in the centre’s NITI Aayog and strengthening of the evaluation and monitoring system in the state.