Patna, May 3: Sectors like health, education and social welfare and those which would contribute to the growth of agriculture are the thrust areas of development for the Bihar government in the current fiscal (2012-13).

This is evident from the document of the annual plan which the government sent to the Planning Commission today for approval.

Of the total plan size of Rs 28,000 crore, the state aims to spend Rs 10,577.17 crore on social sectors. Another Rs 10,000 crore is earmarked for agriculture and allied sectors — rural development, irrigation, energy — that would give an impetus to farming.

Industry, however, has failed to get the attention of the government and the fund earmarked for this sector has remained the same for this year. The government had planned to spend Rs 472 crore for this sector in 2011-12 and the proposed plan for 2012-13 too talks of spending the same amount for development of this sector.

The proposal, if approved by the Planning Commission, would entail a Rs 4,000-crore increase over last year.

Economists said the thrust on agriculture would help sustain growth. “So far, the development story in Bihar has been centred around construction and social sectors. Now the government intends to diversify to agriculture and those sectors which would contribute to the growth of agriculture. This is good because development of the agriculture sector is a must for sustaining the high growth rate in Bihar,” said Shaibal Gupta, member-secretary, Asian Development Research Institute.

Industry, however, sounded a sour note. “The government does not appear to be serious about development of industry and attracting investment in Bihar. Else, it would not have earmarked so low an amount for a sector whose development is a must to harness the benefits in growth of agriculture,” said Satyajit Kumar, Confederation of Indian Industry national council member.

While the state plans to mobilise Rs 14,208 crore from its own resources, it aims to mobilise another Rs 6,460 crore through market borrowing. The remaining fund of Rs 7,332 crore, says the proposal, would come from central assistance.