Chhattisgarh will have eight new airstrips in 2008-09 to increase air connectivity not only within the state but also with neighbouring states, Chief Minister Raman Singh said Friday.

'More airstrips means better connectivity not only inside the state but with the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand,' Singh told IANS.

The state government is likely to spend Rs.10 million on developing the new airstrips at Kankar, Kabirdham, Dantewada, Bijapur, Korba, Balrampur, Rajnandgaon, and Raigarh.

Singh with senior officials was in the city Friday to finalise the annual plan outlay for the new fiscal with the Planning Commission. The plan panel approved Rs.96 billion for 2008-09.

Singh, however, parried the question if the new airstrips as one being proposed in Dantewada would help in carrying out anti-Naxal operations whenever there is an emergency.

'The move is aimed at facilitating better connectivity. The government is committed to providing better facilities to the people of the state,' said Singh.

Singh said the existing airstrips in Bilaspur, Raigarh, Ambikapur, Korba and Jashpur would be upgraded.

Singh, whose Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is scheduled to face the elections later this year, said the government was able to accelerate the growth rate to over 10 percent.

'Health, education, agriculture, and poverty alleviation schemes will get focused attention in the new fiscal. We are determined to effectively take care of the state's 45 percent people, living below the poverty line,' he said.