The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval to:
(i) continue the special plan for Bihar in the remaining four years 2013-14 to 2016-17 of the Twelfth Five Year Plan with a total allocation of Rs.12,000 crore for the entire Twelfth Five Year Plan period,
(ii) continue the special plan for the KBK districts (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) of Odisha with an allocation of Rs.250 crore per annum in the remaining four years 2013-14 to 2016-17 of the Twelfth Five Year Plan and
(iii) continue the special package for implementing drought mitigation strategies in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in the remaining four years 2013-14 to 2016-17 of the Twelfth Five Year Plan with a total allocation of Rs.4400 crore for the entire Twelfth Five Year Plan period.
The total allocation for the Twelfth Five Year Plan period for all the three programmes is Rs.17,650 crore (Rs.12000 crore for the special plan for Bihar, Rs.1250 crore @ Rs.250 crore per annum for the special plan for the KBK districts of Odisha and Rs.4400 crore for the Bundelkhand Package).
The District Component of BRGF, which was approved for implementation till 2012-13, is being restructured for the remaining four years (2013-14 to 2016-17) of the Twelfth Five Year Plan.
The implementation of the programmes is being done by state governments. The aim of the programme is to accelerate socio-economic development in the states concerned. The backward areas of the states covered under the state component of BRGF will be benefitted. All the 38 districts of Bihar, eight districts of the KBK region and 13 districts of the Bundelkhand region are covered. These programmes are continuing programmes and were under implementation during the Eleventh Five Year Plan also.
Background:
The BRGF, which aims to catalyze 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 (including 22 additional districts covered in 2012-13) and state component which includes the special plan for Bihar, the special plan for the KBK districts of Odisha and the special plan for West Bengal (covered in 2011-12) and Bundelkhand Package (covered in 2009-10).
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