Naveen demands review of CCEA on KBK

Bhubaneswar, Aug 16 (UNI) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today demanded review of the recent decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on reducing the grant for the KBK region in the state.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmoham Singh, the Chief Minister described the CCEA decision as most 'unfortunate' and urged the former to include eight KBK districts under the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and enhance plan assistance for KBK to Rs 500 crores.

Mr Patnaik dubbed as 'discriminatory', the decision of the CCEA to include 36 out of 38 districts in Bihar under the BRGF and continue special assistance of Rs 1000 crores while ignoring Orissa's plea.

He said he had taken up the issue of special assistance for the eight backward districts of KBK region several times with the Prime Minister and the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman.

The Chief Minister pointed out that Rs 5527 crores was projected under the Revised Long Term Action Plan to meet the overall development of the KBK region and Rs 1200 crores was made available by the Centre till now.

Mr Patnaik said the recent decision of the CCEA would deprive the eight KBK districts of Rs 600 crores during the 11th Five Year Plan and the Centre must include all the eight districts under the BRGF like the 36 districts included in Bihar.

UNI DP SP SS2133