MUKESH RANJAN Treading the path cut out by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the ministry of water resources intends to seek Cabinet approval for according special category status to districts falling under Bundelkhand region. The districts fall under Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. After announcing special package worth Rs 7,266 crores in 2009, the fresh move will help the Centre give 90 per cent of its funding to the region as grant for implementing Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) and Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP). Interestingly, the ministry of water resources had last week circulated a supplementary Cabinet note for the consideration of Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) to accord special category status to the districts of the region. But CCI postponed a decision on the matter, while asking the ministry to discuss the proposal with expenditure secretary in the finance ministry and secretary of the Planning Commission before taking its final approval. Informed sources said, the issue figured prominently at a review meeting chaired by secretary planning, Sudha Pillai, which was attended by chief secretaries of UP and MP as well as the chief executive officer of NFAA.