<h1>Government Launches Backward Regions Grant Fund in 2006 for 272 Districts, Special Aid to Select States for Unique Challenges.</h1> The Planning Commission of India established an Inter-Ministerial Task Group in 2004 to address regional imbalances, identifying 170 districts as backward based on various parameters. The Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) was launched in 2006, covering 272 districts during the 11th Five Year Plan, with restructuring planned for the 12th Plan. No studies have been conducted to identify industrially backward regions. Special financial assistance was provided to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand due to their challenging geographical conditions. The government has declined requests from other states for similar packages, citing the unique challenges faced by these special category states.