Government on Thursday said it is concerned about development of backward districts and of ’BIMARU’ (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh) states and has allocated Rs 4,670 crore for underdeveloped districts for the 11th Plan period.
Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs, V Narayanasamy while replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha during Question Hour said apart from giving Rs 4,670 crore for development of backward districts of the country, the Centre was going through the report which a task group had submitted on development of such regions.
The Centre had formed the task group to study the situation of backward districts in the country.
Mr. Narayanasamy informed the House that there are 256 backward districts in the country.
On demand for Central assistance to Bihar, he said the state government had sought Rs 14,000 crore for development of backward regions and the Centre has given a special package to the state.
“The Centre is very much concerned about development of BIMARU states as well as backward districts. However, state governments too are responsible for developing such regions and therefore it is a cumulative responsibility of both the Centre and states,” Mr. Narayanasamy said.
He said a number of programmes have been initiated to reduce income disparity between states. These include Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), Hill Area Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme.
