Report on Naxal-infested districts soon: Montek

Ahead of the July 24 National Development Council (NDC) meeting, the Planning Commission will come out with a report on the problems in the Naxal-hit areas and the issues being faced by tribals.

"We are going circulate a supplementary report on the special problems of the tribal districts. This will also cover those districts which are in the grip of Naxalism," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters in a special interaction on Friday.

The report on the tribal areas will be considered by the NDC at its meeting slated for July 24. Headed by the Prime Minister, the NDC comprises the chief ministers, key Cabinet ministers and Planning Commission members.

The NDC has been convened to approve the mid-term appraisal of the 11th Plan,which has lowered the average growth target to 8.1 from 9 per cent mainly on account of the impact of the global financial crisis on the domestic economy.

"We need to understand the problems. There is a difference between the problems of tribal areas in the Northeast and those in the Central regions," the Plan panel deputy head added.

The Commission is currently working out a financial package for the 34 Naxal-hit districts as part of an integrated action plan to tackle the Naxal menace.

On the growth impact of the development on the poorer states, Ahluwalia said, "growth is spreading to all states. The old concept of BIMARU has gone."

Also, the concept that the rich states are getting richer and the poor states are becoming poorer is no longer relevant, he said, adding, "Bihar is doing well...the middle states are doing well now."

The term BIMARU was coined by the economist Ashish Bose to describe the poorer states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.