Mokokchung, August 1 (MTNews): Minister of Development of North Eastern Region,G. Kishan Reddy stated in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha today, that 55 non-exempted central ministries and departments have a mandate to use at least 10% of their gross budgetary support (GBS) for central sector and centrally sponsored schemes in the North-East Region (NER) in order to speed up development.
He added that the relevant Ministries and Departments of the Central Government in the North Eastern Region have begun a number of infrastructure development projects, including connection projects (NER). These involve enhancing connection in the NER for the transportation modes of air, rail, road, waterway, power, and telecommunications.
The Nagaland projects among them were as follows:
· The already underway Capital Road Connectivity Projects of the 62.9-kilometer (4-lane) Dimapur-Kohima Road in Nagaland, which are anticipated to be finished by May 2024.
· The Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) intrastate power transmission and distribution projects, one of which is the North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) for six states including Nagaland. This project is to strengthen their intrastate transmission and distribution systems (33 kV and above), and was approved at a cost of approximately Rs. 6,700 crore.
· The availability of mobile services in unconnected villages in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh (on National Highways only);
· Procuring handicrafts and handlooms from artisans and weavers from all the eight North Eastern States and retailing the same through its chain of “Purbashree” Emporia located at Shillong, Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, Kevadia (Near Statue of Unity, Gujarat) and its Sales Promotion Office at Chennai, by the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC), a CPSU under MDoNER.
The ministry also disclosed the following information regarding the status of the projects approved under the MDoNER and NEC Schemes from the fiscal years 2014–15 to 2021–22:
Development Schemes for North Eastern Region in detail:
Reddy stated in his written response that there are 15 ongoing projects with a sanctioned value of Rs. 2,212.30 crore, while a total of 28 projects have been completed from 2016–17 to 2021–22 with approved costs of Rs. 975.58 crore and completion costs of Rs. 979.07 crore.
As of April 1, 2022, the Ministry of Railways has approved 19 projects totaling Rs. 77,930 crore for 1,909 km in length, falling entirely or partially in the North Eastern Region. These projects, along with those approved since 2014, are in various stages of planning, approval, and execution. Of these, 409 km in length have already been commissioned, costing Rs. 30,312 crore as of March 20, 2022.
The railway connectivity projects include: i) 14 New Line Projects totaling 1,181 km in length at a cost of Rs. 61,520 crore, of which 361 km have been completed and Rs. 27,458 crore have been spent as of March 2022; and (ii) 5 Doubling/Multi Tracking Projects totaling 728 km in length at a cost of Rs. 16,410 crore, of which 48 km have been completed and Rs. 2,854 crore have been spent as of March 2022
He further said that the NER is currently constructing 4016.48 km at a cost of Rs. 58,385 crore. These initiatives were carried out throughout the last five years.
Regarding water connectivity, he pointed out that the Brahmaputra River, which runs for 891 kilometres from Dhubri (the Bangladesh border) to Sadiya, was designated as National Waterway-2 (NW-2) in 1988. As a result, the waterway is being developed and that the created and planned amenities would cost Rs. 461 crore over a five-year period (2020-2025).
The River Barak, which runs through the Cachar Valley of Assam and connects Silchar, Karimganj, and Badarpur with Haldia and Kolkata ports via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Route, was also designated as National Waterway-16 (NW-16) in 2016. The planned and developed facilities would cost Rs. 145 crore over five years (2020-2025).
The Ministry of Power has been working on power generating (hydro/thermal) projects in the North Eastern States since 2014 for power connectivity. Additionally, these North Eastern States’ transmission and distribution networks have been enhanced.
In the North Eastern States, three hydroelectric projects (above 25 MW) totaling 740 MW have been implemented.
Lakhwa Replacement Power Project, a gas-based power project in the State of Assam with a capacity of 69.755 MW (7 x 9.965 MW), was inaugurated on February 14, 2018, by M/s Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd.
Additionally, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.(PGCIL) is reportedly executing two major Intra State power transmission and distribution schemes for Strengthening of Transmission and Distribution System in the North Eastern Region.
For telecom connectivity, Department of Telecommunications has also undertaken several projects in the North Eastern States for strengthening telecom connectivity in the region.
Additionally, he noted that the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is implementing a number of programs/schemes, including the Hill Area Development Program (HADP), Social and Inclusive Development Program (SIDP), Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) Scheme, Special Packages of Assam (Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC), and Karbi During the fiscal years 2014–15 to 2021–22, 1,350 projects totaling Rs. 15,867.01 crore.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also been implementing the following schemes relating to education, health, economic empowerment, livelihood etc. in the Scheduled Tribe dominated areas of the country including North Eastern States:
i. Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)
ii. Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India
iii. Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)
iv. National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students
v. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) to the ST Students for Studies Abroad
vi. Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes
vii. Venture Capital Fund (VCF) for Scheduled Tribes
viii. Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)
ix. Pre- Matric Scholarship
x. Post Matric Scholarship
xi. Support to Tribal Research Institute (TRI)
xii. Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)