K. Balchand NEW DELHI: In a bid to provide relief to seven drought-affected districts of Bundelkhand region and eastern Uttar Pradesh, the National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs.246 crore. According to Union Minister of State for Rural Development Pradeep Jain, the funds would be used for implementation of development schemes in the Bundelkhand districts and three eastern Uttar Pradesh districts. Mr. Jain said the people would benefit with the acceleration of the pace of development in the rural regions affected by the drought. About Rs.214 crore would be spent on irrigation schemes in the districts of Lalitpur, Mahoba and Jhansi, while Rs.32 crore would be utilised for construction of rural roads in the districts of Jyotiba Phule Nagar, Mau, Ghazipur and Gonda districts of Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Rural Development Ministry has allotted Rs.2.6 crore to the three Union Territories of Andaman and Nikobar Islands, Dadar and Nagar Havelli and Puducherry and the State of Himachal Pradesh for the implementation of National Land Record Modernisation Programme (NLRMP) for the current financial year 2009-10.