The Districts of North Bengal are generally backward and the percentage of scheduled caste and scheduled tribe population of this area is large. To tackle this issue of regional imbalance and backwardness and for comprehensive and integrated development of the six districts of North Bengal, viz. Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, a Board named ‘Uttarbanga Unnayan Parshad’ was constituted in the year 2000-2001.Chief Minister of the State is the Chairman of the Parshad and one Minister elected from North Bengal is Vice-Chairman. All MPs, MLAs, Sabhadhipatis and District Magistrates of the six districts of North Bengal are the members of this Parshad. Commissioner, Jalpaiguri Division is its Member-Secretary. The function of this Parshad is to formulate and implement schemes for comprehensive development of the areas of the districts through the Panchayats, Local Self-Govt. Institutions, Govt. Organisations and Non-Govt. Organisations located in North Bengal. For this purpose, provision of  Rs.22 crore is proposed in the budget for 2005-06 under State Plan.