UP to plea plan panel on Bundelkhand package

The Chief Secretary,meanwhile,met officers of the respective departments today and discussed the various problems associated with the implementation of the package.

It was on November 20 that the Centre had cleared a special package of nearly Rs 7,266 crore for the implementation of the Drought Mitigation Package over a three-year period beginning 2009-10. Interestingly,the Centre had made it clear that a part of the package would be provided by converging resources from the ongoing Central programmes and schemes.

On this,the Chief Secretary said: “Firstly,the package is insufficient. Also,we face difficulties in converging resources from the ongoing Central government programmes and schemes,as mentioned in the package.”

The Chief Secretary added that he would ask the Planning Commission for funds as additional Central assistance for the implementation of the package.

“If we implement the package,the total outlay of the state’s micro-management of Agriculture (MMA) scheme would go to Bundelkhand,leaving nothing for other parts of the state,” said the Chief Secretary.

On the difficulties in converging resources from NREGA,a senior official of the state’s Rural Development Department said: “NREGA is a demand-driven scheme. We have already undertaken projects like construction of new wells and ponds under this scheme. Now,the package talks of converging resources for the scheme.”

While describing the package as “insufficient”,Chief Minister Mayawati had,earlier,written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding a Special Area Incentive Package (SAIP) for the region. Her plea was based on the premise that the geographical conditions of the region were similar to those in other states,which had received the SAIP.