The fresh inclusions were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), taking the number of districts under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) to 272, Home Minister P Chidambaram said briefing reporters after the meeting.
Besides, the CCEA also approved to "expand the coverage of Integrated Action Plan (IAP) from 78 districts to 82 districts with enhanced allocation from Rs 2,340 crore to Rs 2,460 crore," he said.
"The total allocation for both the programmes will also increase. The present approval is to expand the coverage of the district component of BRGF from Rs 5,050 crore to Rs 5,350 crore and...To cover four additional districts under the IAP," according to an official document said.
The BRGF aims to accelerate socio-economic development in backward areas and has two components -- district component for backward districts in 27 states besides IAP for selected tribal and backward districts.
The 22 additional districts, the statement said include, 19 districts carved out of the existing BRGF districts between 2001 census and 2011 census besides Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, Siwan in Bihar and Bargarh in Odisha.
"Therefore, 22 additional districts are now being covered under the District component of BRFG for which additional allocation of Rs 300 crore will be made," it added.