Title : Need to allocate funds for development of Sunderbans area of West Bengal.
(JOYNAGAR): Sir, Sunderbans Development Board was created by the State Government in 1973 for the formulation and execution of integrated programme for development of the backward Sunderbans region on the basis of assessment of the resources, endowment and the quality and coverage of the existing infrastructural facilities. Since State funds were not adequate to tackle the basic problems of the Sunderbans region, the possibility of getting external assistance was explored and in collaboration with the World Bank sponsored International Fund for Agricultural Development, a development plan with the object of bringing about substantial improvement in the economic conditions of the people, particularly for the small and marginal farmers, was launched.
To keep up the tempo of development, the Sunderbans Development Plan Phase-I covering a period of five years and involving a capital outlay of Rs. 67.5 core had been forwarded by the Government of West Bengal to the Government of India for exploring the possibility of having external assistance.
I, therefore, request the Central Government to consider the development of this most backward area by allocating special fund for the purpose.