lucknow the state government described the rs 4000 development package for the bundelkhand announced by the congress led union government has highly insufficient in a press release issued late on thursday evening the state government spokesman said that chief minister mayawati had demanded rs 80000 crore development package for bundelkhand region soon after taking charge in may 2007 but after twoandhalfyears of wait union government has given a meagre rs 4000 crore which is highly unjustified considering the gravity of the problemthe spokesman said that the main reason for the poverty in bundelkhand is its backwardness which can be removed by investing in infrastructure industries and creating new sources of employment the bundelkhand has also been ravaged by drought for the past many years hence it also needs investment in creation of new water bodies and recharging of old ones which will also take care of the shortage of drinking water in the region he said for the said purpose chief minister mayawati had written to the prime minister manmohan singh in may 2007 to sanction rs 80000 crore for various development projects planned for the region but none of the proposals of the state government were accepted by the centrethe spokesman said that the rs 80000 crore package included rs 4000 crore for infrastructure development alone the state government had also asked for a package for industrial development to fill critical gaps as announced for the state of uttarakhand in december 2007 state government had again asked for a drought relief package of rs 7016 crore and special loan package of rs 2797 crore for farmers he said this year in august he said chief minister had again asked for a rs 7789 crore package for the droughthit areas but all the proposals were overlooked by the centre as a result he added state government initiated host of development projects and welfare schemes on its ownthe spokesman said that the welfare schemes initiated by the state government cover irrigation drinking water employment power supply medical services pensions for elderly disabled and widows monetary assistance in marriages weather insurance scheme and rural food grain bank among others besides he added the state government has sanctioned money to establish an agriculture university nine itis five polytechnics and a para medical college in the area the state government is already spending around rs 4000 crore annually on bundelkhand region in plantation drive alone rs 1000 crore have been spent till date and rs 1500 crore have been earmarked for this year he said