LUCKNOW, Jan. 29 -- The planning department has sought an increase of Rs.700 crore for the development of 37 districts under the Purvanchal/Bundelkhand Balanced Regional Development Fund (BRDF), a financial mechanism aimed at reducing regional disparities by funding development in identified backward districts. For the 2026-27 budget, a proposal seeking an allocation of Rs.1,900 crore has been sent to the finance department. In the previous financial year, the BRDF allocation stood at Rs.1,200 crore, including Rs.800 crore for Purvanchal and Rs.400 crore for Bundelkhand, a senior official said. The BRDF focuses on addressing regional disparities by supporting development works in backward districts, primarily through the planning department. The fund supports multiple sectors, including infrastructure development, education, health, sanitation, drinking water, roads, sports, agriculture and capacity building in these regions. Under the Purvanchal BRDF, the identified districts include Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Sultanpur, Ambedkarnagar, Amethi, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Deoria, Varanasi, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bahraich, Gonda, Balrampur and Shrawasti. Under the Bundelkhand Balanced Regional Development Fund, the districts include Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, Mahoba and Hamirpur. The proposed increase is expected to give a major push to development in the 37 backward districts of Purvanchal and Bundelkhand in the next financial year. Of the Rs.1,900 crore proposed, Rs.1,400 crore has been earmarked for the Purvanchal Development Fund and Rs.500 crore for the Bundelkhand Development Fund, the official said. In addition to the Balanced Regional Development Fund allocation, a sum of Rs.2,400 crore has been proposed for the Accelerated Economic Development Plan (AEDP) for 2026-27, the official added. The AEDP allocation in 2025-26 was Rs.2,350 crore. Under the AEDP, priority is given to infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, drinking water supply, health facilities, educational institutions, rural electrification, urban lighting, industrial training institute (ITI) and polytechnic buildings, and minor irrigation works....