Health ministry officials say the number of cases in the state is already 350 this year, compared to 268 for the whole of last year.

"This is indeed an alarming situation and we need to address it immediately. I am working on ways and means to control this situation," Sinha told reporters in the state capital Lucknow.

State authorities had managed to bring the figure down from 1,934 cases in 1999 to 265 cases in 2000 after a sustained immunization drive.

Sinha said he hoped to drive polio figures down in the state, which accounts for nearly 60 percent of all polio cases in the world.

He blamed illiteracy, superstitions and lack of resources for the high prevalence of the disease in Uttar Pradesh.

"The most important reason behind this failure is lack of monitoring of both resources and people involved in the immunization move. We have learnt from our past experiences and hope to have better results henceforth," Sinha added.

He said the government had earmarked $93 million for polio immunization program in the state this year.