While implementing our development strategy, we shall keep our eyes on the developmental needs of backward regions with a view to exploiting their inherent potential. Strengthening of their economic base will provide them the requisite synergy to move ahead on their own in due course of time.
The government shall initiate many more region specific steps after the report of the State Finance Commission becomes available.
It has recently come to our notice that because of extremely limited working season in some far-flung areas, the standing sanction of operating upto 25% of the previous year’s plan allocations to ensure continuity in ongoing works does not fully take care of the problem of these areas. The small plan allocations falling to these areas tend to lapse with the close of working season by mid-October or so. In order to deal with this problem, I propose to allow such areas, as a standing measure, to have 100% of their previous year’s plan allocations at the commencement of the new financial year.
In order to pull the backward regions and districts to the average threshold of development, the government proposes to provide area specific special provisions under the district plans, over and above the step-up level allowed every year across the board.
