Special package of Rs 350 crore for backward Andhra districts

NEW DELHI: Government will provide a special package of Rs 350 crore for development of seven backward districts in Andhra Pradesh, Parliament was informed today.

"The government has decided to provide an amount of Rs 350 crore at the rate of Rs 50 crore per district for the development of seven backward districts covering Rayalseema and North Coastal Region During 2015-16," Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He said the special development package proposal of Andhra Pradesh was received from Andhra Government in October 2014.

"In its proposal, the state sought Special Development Assistance (SDA) for its backward areas particularly Rayalaseema and North Coastal Regions for an amount of Rs 24,350 crore over a period of five years (2014-15 to 2018-19)," he said.

In December 2014, a meeting was convened by erstwhile Planning Commission and it was emphasised that SDA proposals needed examination and there was a need for convergence with the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Schemes so as to consider the additional requirement of funds under the package, he said.

Singh said the Ministry of Finance had also released an amount of Rs 350 crore for Andhra Pradesh under SDA at Rs 50 crore per district in seven backward districts of Andhra Pradesh during 2014-15 for the developmental activities covering Rayalseema and North Coastal Region.