Date:10/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/10/stories/2008041051950300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘Increase funds for backward regions’

VIZIANAGARAM: Minister for Housing Botcha Satyanarayana has asked officials to enhance the Backward Region Growth Fund amount to 25 per cent instead of 10 per cent each year for the next four years. He gave the instructions after Lok Sabha member Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi made the suggestion at the District Planning Committee meeting on BRGF at the Zilla Parishad conference Hall here on Tuesday. The last date for submitting the proposals to the Central Government is April 15. The Centre has allocated Rs. 18 crores for the first year (2007-08) of the programme. The allocations for the period 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-2011, 2011–2012 are Rs. 19.80 crores, Rs. 21.78 crores, Rs. 23.76 crores and Rs. 26.95 crores respectively.

The Centre has selected Vizianagaram among the 13 districts in the State for sanctioning the programme.