Govt yet to get details of package

As a result,the state government is not clear on several points relating to the special package. “The package talks about converging the resources from ongoing Central programmes and schemes. But it is not clear which Central programmes and schemes are useful for the package,” said a source in the state government. There are several projects being funded by the Centre,he added. “Take the NREGA for example. If they converge resources from this scheme,what extra benefit the state will receive?” the source pointed out.

State government officials are reportedly in touch with the Planning Commission to find out the details of the package. “The Commission had taken the package before the Union Cabinet. So,it would first come to the Commission and then the UP government. But the Commission also is yet to receive it,” a source said.

The state government is also not sure about the exact role of the Monitoring Group to be constituted at the Centre for proper implementation of the development projects in the package. “Though the state cannot object to the Centre monitoring the projects,the Monitoring Group must not infringe upon the constitutional right of the state government,” said an official.

According to the state government’s estimate,Uttar Pradesh will not get more than around Rs 1,750 crore in the coming three years. “We have come to know through media reports that both UP and MP governments will get an additional Central assistance to the tune of Rs 3,450 crore over a period of three years — commencing from 2009-10. This means,UP’s share will probably be around Rs 1,750 crore,” a source said.

In Uttar Pradesh,Bundelkhgand region comprises seven districts — Banda,Chitrakoot,Hamirpur,Jalaun,Jhansi,Lalitpur and Mohoba. In Madhya Pradesh,the region consists of Chhatarpur,Damoh,Datia,Panna,Sagar and Tikamgarh districts.

The major targets of the package include developing seven lakh hectares of land in UP and four lakh hectares in MP with watershed development measures.