Govt to continue development schemes in Northeast with Rs 12,882 cr outlay

“The government has made development of the Northeast a major priority. The Prime Minister has visited the region more than 50 times in the last eight years, while 74 ministers have also visited the Northeast more than 400 times,” Reddy said, adding that since 2014 more than Rs 4 lakh crore has been allocated for the region with a focus on connectivity.

Three Northeastern states — Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya — are set for Assembly polls in the coming months.

Of the Rs 12,882 crore outlay, Rs 8139.5 crore will be earmarked for the ‘North East Special Infrastructure Scheme (NESIDS)’, and Rs 3,202.7 crore for ‘Schemes of North Eastern Council’, including committed liabilities of ongoing projects.

The outlay for special packages for Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) and Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council in Assam (DHATC) is Rs 1,540 (Rs 500 crore for BTC; Rs 750 crore for KAATC, and Rs 290 crore for old packages of BTC, DHATC & KAATC), Reddy said.

Reddy said the ongoing Indo-Bangladesh rail line will also be completed soon, possibly this year.

The Agartala-Akhaura railway line will link Bangladesh’s Akhaura through an international immigration station at Nischintapur. Officials in the Ministry said the work on the Indian side is complete, up till Nischintpur, while the reasons for delay on the other side are being ironed out. Both the countries signed an MoU for the railway project in 2013.

Reddy also said the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), a scheme with 100 per cent funding by the Centre, has been restructured with two components – NESIDS (Roads) and NESIDS (other than road infrastructure).

The Ministry’s new scheme — Prime Minister’s Development initiative for the north eastern region or PM-DevINE — was approved in October last year separately, with an outlay of Rs 6,600 crore. Under PM-DevINE, Reddy said, larger and high-impact projects for infrastructure, social development and livelihood are undertaken.

Reddy said the extension of the Ministry’s schemes for the rest of the term of the 15th Finance Commission will enable better planning for implementation of the schemes in terms of project selection, front loading of sanction of the projects, and project implementation during the scheme period, Reddy remarked.