Kamal Nath tries to get Chhindwara funds meant for red corridor

NEW DELHI: Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath sought a creative interpretation of Naxal-affected areas at the Cabinet meeting to get his constituency, Chhindwara, included in the government’s Rs 13,000-crore plan for the red corridor.

As the Integrated Action Plan for 60 Naxal-affected districts in seven states came up for discussion at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), Mr Nath had an animated 15-minute discussion with colleagues on why his constituency should be included in the plan.

IAP would cover 60 districts in Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and a few areas of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Mr Nath’s constituency, which lies on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border and close to Nagpur, has a small tribal population. Although Chhindwara is close to Maoist-infested Balaghat, it has no Naxal activity. Inclusion of a district in the plan would mean an immediate Rs 25 crore in January 2011 for building roads, schools, strengthening Anganwaadis and other social initiatives.

The plan will cover the next three financial years till 2013-14. Almost two-thirds of the funds have been ear-marked to be released in the last two years — 2012-13 and 2013-14. One-third of the total outlay will be released in the first one and a half years till March 2012.

The Planning Commission has set five criteria for districts to take benefit of funds under the plan. These criteria are district should have 25% of tribal population, 50% poverty ratio, 30% forest cover, security-related concerns and covered under Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF).

Any district which fulfills four of five criteria would be covered by the Plan. A special formula has been worked out assigning different weightage to area of district, population and proportion of tribal population to gauge quantum of funds to be allocated to a district. IAP will involve active participation of the civil society at the grassroots.