Why in news?

The Cabinet approved a new scheme for development of aspirational taluks to address regional imbalances in the State. It included 49 indicators assigned by NITI Aayog following completion of the tenure of the Special Development Plan (SDP) launched as per the D.M. Nanjundappa Committee report on regional imbalances in the State.

Highlights:

• Owing to creation of new taluks by the State government from time to time, at present, the total number of taluks had touched 235. Of them, 40 new taluks have been created out of 114 most backward, more backward, and backward taluks. Hence, the number of taluks coming under the SDP have increased to 154.
• For allocations of funds for new taluks separately, the Cabinet decided to revisit the SDP and officials of the Planning and Statistics Department would make plans for allocation of funds.

• An expenditure of ₹28,429 crore has been incurred till now under the SDP as per the recommendations of the Nanjundappa committee report. A Cabinet sub-committee was constituted to study the utilisation of funds on various development indicators such as education, health, malnutrition, drinking water, and sanitation.