MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN
THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)
(a)& (b): Planning Commission has not conducted any study / survey to find out the regional
imbalances that exist within each State of the country. However, an Inter-Ministry Task Group
on Redressing Growing Regional Imbalances was set up which submitted its report in 2005.
The recommendations of this Group were used to formulate the Backward Regions Grant Fund
which covers 250 backward districts in all the States, except Goa.
(c): Despite the efforts made through various measures including the Centrally Sponsored
Schemes,, regional imbalances continue to exist owing to the sub-continental dimensions of the
country with inherent differences in geographical parameters and historical developments which
have lead to disparities in the levels of development of different areas owing to differences in
resource endowment, levels of infrastructure and socio-economic parameters.
(d) to (f):At present there is no such proposal. The specific scheme which aims at removal of
regional imbalances that exist within States, is the Backward Regions Grant Fund which aims at
catalyzing development in backward districts by: (a) providing infrastructure; (b) promoting
good governance and agrarian reforms; (c) converging, through supplementary infrastructure
and capacity building, the substantial existing development inflows into these districts.
