While delivering his Interim Budget Speech the Union Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram informed the House that the North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand deserve special attention. In addition to funds allocated in the current year, he said that a sum of Rs. 1,200 crore is released as Additional Central Assistance to these States before the end of the year.

Additional Central Assistance announced for specified hill and northeastern states to be released before year-end. The Union Finance Minister announced that Additional Central Assistance will be released to the North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as supplementary funding over allocations already made, with the disbursement scheduled before the end of the financial year.