Lok Sabha Question No. 981 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-29
Subject: Development of Hilly Areas
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: ANURAG SINGH THAKUR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 981 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.04.2016

## Development of Hilly Areas

## 981.   SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of development of hilly areas in the country is very slow as compared to the urban/plain areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether application of flexible norms in the hilly States could register faster growth in comparison to plain/urban areas;
- (d) if so, whether there is a proposal to fix special norms for hilly States in this regard; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) :  No Sir.  A statement indicating GDP growth rate (2011-12 base year) of eleven Hill States viz Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Himachal  Pradesh,  Uttarakhand,  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Assam  Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura vis-à-vis All India for 2012-13, 2013-14 & 2014-15 is at Annexure.

- (b)  : Does not arise.

(  c)  to  (e)    :    Recognising  the  weak  revenue  base  of  the  Hill  States,  the  Fourteenth  Finance Commission has already provided these States additional devolution to compensate for the revenue deficits.  Moreover, the Government has taken a number of steps in the past to reduce regional disparities.  However, development indicators continue to vary between different States.  Hilly areas have their specific challenges including difficult terrain, location on international border etc which constraint development.  Norms of many of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes have been designed to address these challenges from time to time. Government has recently accepted the recommendation  of  the  Sub  Group  of  Chief  Ministers  set  up  on  rationalisation  of  Centrally Sponsored Schemes to have 90:10 (Centre: State) fund sharing pattern for core schemes for the eleven north eastern and hill states  as compared to 60:40 in other States. The Sub-Group of Chief Ministers has also recommended that States may be allowed to decide construction cost norms on the basis of Scheduled of Rates applicable in the State concerned.

Annexure Statement on GDP Growth Rate as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No 981 due for reply on 29-04-2016

| Sl.No                       | State\UT                    | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | Average   |
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1                           | Arunachal Pradesh           | 1.78      | 10.78     | 6.41      | 6.32      |
| 2                           | Assam                       | -0.07     | 6.08      | 3.34      | 3.12      |
| 3                           | Himachal Pradesh            | 6.41      | 7.09      | 7.46      | 6.99      |
| 4                           | Jammu &Kashmir              | 2.80      | 7.33      | -0.96     | 3.05      |
| 5                           | Manipur                     | 1.73      | 10.24     | NA        | NA        |
| 6                           | Meghalaya                   | 2.42      | 4.22      | 2.28      | 2.97      |
| 7                           | Mizoram                     | 7.15      | 11.36     | 8.86      | 9.12      |
| 8                           | Nagaland                    | 5.09      | 9.76      | 7.26      | 7.37      |
| 9                           | Sikkim                      | NA        | NA        | NA        | NA        |
| 10                          | Tripura                     | NA        | NA        | NA        | NA        |
| 11                          | Uttarakhand                 | 7.42      | 7.25      | 7.33      | 7.33      |
| All-India GDP(2011-12 base) | All-India GDP(2011-12 base) | 5.62      | 6.64      | 7.24      | 6.50      |

Source: CSO, MOSPI, Govt. of India