New Delhi: The government on Thursday approved a Rs 3,150 crore package for development of backward regions in Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), Rs 1,500 crore will provided to Bihar as Special Plan Assistance.
Similarly Additional Central Assistance of Rs 1,400 crore will be provided for drought mitigation strategies in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, an official statement said here.
The CCEA also approved Rs 250 crore for Special Plan for development of Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) districts of Odisha.
The BRGF, which aims to catalyse development in backward areas, was approved by the CCEA in August, 2006.
In its present form, the BRGF has two components, namely, district component covering 272 backward districts in 27 states and state component which includes Special Plan for Bihar, West Bengal, KBK districts, Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for selected tribal and backward districts and Bundelkhand Package.
The implementation of the programmes is being undertaken by the state governments, which aim to accelerate socio-economic development in these areas.
The backward areas of the states covered under the state component of BRGF will benefit all the 38 districts of Bihar, eight districts of the KBK region and 13 districts of Bundelkhand region.
These programmes are continuing programmes and were under implementation during the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12).
PTI
