Monday, November 2, 2015

State increases funds for KBK to Rs 250cr

Times of India, Nov 1, 2015
Bhubaneswar: The state government on Saturday announced to increase the fund for Biju Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) scheme from Rs 120 crore to Rs 250 crore.

The scheme is being implemented in eight districts. These are Koraput, Nabarangapur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Balangir, Sonepur, Kalahandi and Nuapada.

"Since the NDA government has stopped fund flow under the KBK scheme from the 2015-16, the state government has decided to continue the scheme with additional budgetary provision to continue the development works in the region," said an officer after a review meeting headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik here.

According to an official statement issued by the chief minister's office, the state government would bear the additional Rs 130 crore from its own sources.

Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao launched a long-term action plan for the KBK on August 18, 1995, with an aim to alleviate hunger and ushering in development in the region.

Though the Centre granted Rs 250 crore annually for the KBK scheme under the Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP), the UPA government had reduced the amount to Rs 130 crore in 2006.

As Rs 130 crore was not adequate to carry out development projects, the state government launched the Biju KBK scheme in 2006. Since then, the state government has been bearing additional Rs 120 crore from its own sources.

The additional fund will be spent for augmentation of road infrastructure, restoration of lift irrigation points and digging up of deep borewells to boost irrigation facilities and setting up of more schools and hostels.

The chief minister has directed different departments to chalk out action plan for effective expenditure of the additional amount to be borne by the state government. "Budgetary provision for the additional Rs 130 crore would be made in the supplementary budget likely to be tabled in the assembly in December," the officer said.

In the current fiscal, the Centre has delinked its support from eight-centrally sponsored schemes, including Backward Region Grant Fund and Integrated Action Plan meant for backward area development.

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