Budget-2007-08: Infrastructure continues to be a focus area

New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) Continuing the focus on infrastructure building, Finance Minister P Chidambaram has proposed enhancing of Budgetary support to some major projects in the Union Budget 2007-08.

Noting that two Ultra Mega Power Projects (UNPPs) have already been awarded, Mr Chidambaram stated that 7 more UNPPs are under process and at least 2 more would be awarded by July 2007.

Mr Chidambaram said that as the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Project (APDRP) has significantly reduced Aggregate Technical and Commercial (ATC) losses in 213 towns, the project is being restructured to cover all district headquarters and towns with a population of more than 50,000. ''I propose to increase the budgetary support for APDRP from Rs.650 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 800 crore next year'', he said.

Further, Mr Chidambaram informed that the allocation for the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana is being enhanced from Rs 3,000 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 3,983 crore in 2007-08.

For the highway sector, the Finance Minister said the provision for the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) would be enhanced from Rs 9,945 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 10,667 crore in the next financial year. Further, the road-cum-rail bridge over the Brahmaputra at Bogibeel, Assam would be taken up as a national project.

UNI