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NEW DELHI: Focussing attention on bridging the urban and rural divide, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday announced plans to speed up the pace of building infrastructure, power and irrigation facilities in rural areas.

This is to be achieved through a 54 percent increase in the allocation for Bharat Nirman, which aims at building infrastructure and bringing basic amenities to rural India, Chidambaram said, presenting the budget for fiscal 2006-07 in parliament.

The enhancement will see Rs 18,696 crore (Rs 186.96 billion) being allocated in 2006-07 for the ambitious Bharat Nirman project that was launched last year with a Rs 12,160 crore (Rs 121.60 billion) provision.

The enhanced budgetary provision includes projects to be undertaken in the northeast region, the finance minister said.

SOURCE: The Times of India