Special initiatives in 272 districts to remove regional imbalances through BRGF: Nirmala Sitharaman

NEW DELHI: Government is addressing regional economic imbalances in 272 districts through Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and providing industrial incentive to special category states, including northeastern region, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during Question Hour that the present approach of the government is not based on identification of industrially backward states and districts but is meant to address regional imbalances through BRGF.

"The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is providing package of industrial incentive to the special category states of the northeast, including Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand," she said.

Sitharaman said the new industrial policy and other concessions for special category states for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been extended up to 2017.

The Minister said the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIP) 2007 for the northeastern region and Sikkim has been extended up to 2017.

She said the NEIIP has not been withdrawn but fresh application is not being registered as the DIPP first wanted to clear the dues of old applicants.

"Once the backlog is cleared, we will accept fresh applications," she said.

Sitharaman said the DIPP is also implementing a number of other schemes, including Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme, Integrated Leather Development Programme.

"Additionally, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Chennai-Bengaluru-Chitradurga Industrial Corridor, the Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor, the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor and Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic Corridor are major initiatives to develop manufacturing cities and industrial clusters and accelerate industrial growth and improve investment opportunities," she said.