NEW DELHI: Nine of 10 districts in Telangana, three of four districts in Rayalaseema and one in Andhra region figured in the list of backward districts in the country. Vizianagaram is the only district identified as backward in Coastal AP.
The Ministry of Rural Development has identified 250 backward districts across the country where the Central government has initiated the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) to specifically address the problem of regional imbalances in the country. Of the 23 districts in the State, 13 have been identified as backward.
The ministry has allocated Rs 348 crore for financial year 2010-11 under various components of BRGF for these districts. Funds to the tune of Rs 4,670 crore are being spent under the BRGF this year.
In his written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, minister of state for rural development Pradeep Jain Aditya on Monday said regional imbalances result from varying factors such as differences in resource endowment, geographical and historical characteristics and also availability of infrastructure. “Planning and development of an area is primarily the responsibility of the State concerned and the Central government, on its part, will supplement the efforts through various special area programmes, flagship programmes and centrally-sponsored schemes,” he said.