Shimla: The government has proposed a Rs 3,700-crore annual plan for 2012-13, an increase of 12.12 per cent over the current year’s plan of Rs 3,300 crore. Stating this while initiating discussions with MLAs for finalising the priorities here today, Chief Minister PK Dhumal said the growth rate at 9.5 per cent was being fixed for the 12th Five-Year Plan period as compared to 9 per cent fixed at the national level. It would be a challenging task, but not difficult and would be achieved fully with the effective implementation of developmental schemes. As 2012-13 would be first year of the next five-year plan, it would be a trendsetter for the remaining years and go a long way in accelerating the pace of development. He urged the MLAs to give priority to the projects nearing completion so that the people could avail of the benefits at the earliest. He directed the officers to give utmost attention to the priorities of the MLAs and ensure that the contractors who did not complete work on time were blacklisted. Referring to the plan priorities, Dhumal said all possible steps were being taken to get the detailed project reports (DPRs) prepared at the earliest and forest clearances had been obtained from the Centre in 250 cases of which 148 were sent by the present government while 102 had been sent earlier. Referring to the implementation of schemes under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), he said with the efforts of the government, the spending in 13 of the 29 segments had improved from Rs 20 crore and now ranged between Rs 30 and Rs 50 crore. Nand Lal (Rampur) wanted the evolvement of a mechanism for the time-bound preparation of DPRs of road projects and urged for connecting the Pandrah-Beesh area with a motorable road, while Khushi Ram Balnahata (Rohru) stressed for the early completion of the Rohal road and the construction of a bus stand at Rohru, re-location of the subzi mandi and sought additional funds for BPharma College and Seema Degree College. Vidya Stokes (Kumarsain) wanted advance preparedness to meet the challenges posed by heavy snowfall, check the monkey menace, deployment of trained pump operators and schoolteachers. Subhash Manglate (Chopal) wanted snow cutters for snow-bound areas and replacement of old machinery, while Rakesh Verma (Theog) underlined the need for allotment of IPH projects exclusively to one contractor and review school upgrade norms. Suresh Bhardwaj (Shimla) demanded the creation of a capital fund for the development of Shimla, construction of more parking slots and tunnels in the town, and long-term planning for drinking water supply scheme from the Sutlej. Sohan Lal (Kasumpti) urged for the construction of general and zonal hospitals in rural Shimla, sewerage schemes for Shoghi and Ghanahatti towns and development of tourist spots in the segment. MLAs of Solan, Sirmour, Mandi, Chamba and Bilaspur also gave their priorities. Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu said the plan priorities were being reviewed frequently by a high-powered committee through meetings and asked the officers to ensure the effective implementation of the priorities given by the MLAs.