Development Schemes for NER including Nagaland

Fifty five non-exempted Central Ministries/Departments are mandated to spend at least 10% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the North Eastern Region (NER) to accelerate the pace of development. The details of Budget Estimates, Revised Estimates and Actual Expenditure under 10% GBS since financial year 2018-19 is given in Table 1 below:

Several infrastructure development projects including connectivity projects have been taken up by the concerned Ministries and Departments of the Central Government in the North Eastern Region (NER). These relate to improving air connectivity, rail connectivity, road connectivity, waterway connectivity, power connectivity and telecom connectivity in the NER. These inter-alia include:

1. Air connectivity: Total 28 projects have been completed from 2016-17 to 2021-22 with the approved cost of Rs. 975.58 crore and completion cost of Rs. 979.07 crore. There are 15 ongoing projects with sanctioned amount of Rs. 2,212.30 crore.
2. Rail connectivity: As on 01.04.2022, Ministry of Railways has sanctioned 19 projects costing Rs.77,930 crore for 1,909 km length falling fully/ partly in North Eastern Region including those sanctioned since 2014, which are at different stages of planning/approval/execution, out of which 409 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.30,312 crore incurred upto March, 2022. These include (i) 14 New Line Projects covering a length of 1,181 km at a cost of Rs.61,520 crore, out of which 361 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.27,458 crore incurred upto March, 2022; and (ii) 5 Doubling/Multi tracking Projects covering a length of 728 km at a cost of Rs.16,410 crore, out of which 48 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.2,854 crore incurred upto March, 2022.
3. Road Connectivity: A total of 4016.48 km costing Rs.58,385 crore, are ongoing in NER. These projects were undertaken during the last 5 years. The completed projects in NER cover a length of 3099.50 km at a cost of Rs.15,570.44 crore. The ongoing projects are likely to be completed by May 2024. The major ongoing Capital Road Connectivity projects in NER include the 4 Laning of Dimapur- Kohima Road (62.9 km) in Nagaland; 4 laning of Nagaon bypass to Holongi (167 km) in Arunachal Pradesh; Alternate two-lane Highway from Bagrakote to Pakyong (NH-717A) (152 km) in Sikkim; 2 laning of Aizawl - Tuipang NH-54 (351 km) in Mizoram; and 4 laning of Imphal -Moreh section of NH-39(20 km) and 2-laning of 75.4 km in Manipur.
4. Waterway connectivity: River Brahmaputra from Dhubri (Bangladesh Border) to Sadiya (891km) was declared as National Waterway-2 (NW-2) in 1988. The waterway is being developed with fairway of required depth and width, day and night navigation aids and terminals. The facilities created and planned would cost Rs. 461crore during 5 years (2020-2025). River Barak was declared as National Waterway-16 (NW -16) in the year 2016. It connects Silchar, Karimganj and Badarpur in Cachar valley of Assam with Haldia and Kolkata ports through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Route. The facilities created and planned would cost Rs.145 crore during 5 years (2020-2025).
5. Power connectivity: Ministry of Power has also undertaken power generation (hydro/thermal) projects since 2014 in the North Eastern States. Further, the transmission and distribution network has also been strengthened in these North Eastern States. 03 Hydro Electric Projects (above 25 MW) totaling to 740 MW have been undertaken in the North Eastern States. A Gas based Power Project in the State of Assam viz. Lakhwa Replacement Power Project of 69.755 MW capacity (7 x 9.965MW) by M/s Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd. was commissioned on 14.02.2018. Further, Government of India has launched various schemes to enable States including North Easter /augmentation of sub-transmission & distribution infrastructure along with metering and IT enablement of distribution infrastructures etc. For strengthening of transmission network in the North-Eastern Region, Inter-State Transmission projects have been undertaken, which includes new transmission lines, extension/upgradation of existing substations, augmentation of transformation capacity, reconductoring of transmission lines etc. Further, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.(PGCIL) is executing two major Intra State power transmission and distribution schemes viz. (i) North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) for Six States (Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland) for strengthening of the Intra-State Transmission and Distribution Systems (33 kV and above) sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.6,700 crore; and (ii)Comprehensive Scheme for Strengthening of Transmission and Distribution System in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.9,129.32 crore.
6. Telecom connectivity: Department of Telecommunications has also undertaken several projects in the North Eastern States for strengthening telecom connectivity in the region, which, interalia, include (i) Mobile Services in uncovered villages in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh (National Highways only) and seamless coverage along National Highway; (ii) Mobile connectivity in Meghalaya and along National Highways on 4G Technology; (iii) Mobile connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and 2 Districts of Assam; (iv) Bharat Net and Wi-Fi Connectivity for Village Panchayats in North Eastern Region; and (v) Hiring of 10 Gbps International Bandwidth for Internet Connectivity to Agartala from BSCCL, Bangladesh via Cox Bazar. In the North Eastern States, 1,358 towers covering 1,246 villages have been installed and providing services.

In addition, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is implementing various schemes/packages viz. North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) Scheme, Special Packages of Assam [Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC) and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council(KAATC)], Hill Area Development Programme(HADP), Social and Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF), Schemes of NEC (North Eastern Council) and North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), for the development of North Eastern Region. Under these developmental schemes/ packages, 1,350 projects worth Rs.15,867.01 crore, including connectivity projects, have been sanctioned during the financial years 2014-15 to 2021-22. The year-wise details of the projects sanctioned areas under:-

The State-wises status of the projects sanctioned under the Schemes of MDoNER and NEC during the financial years 2014-15 to 2021-22 is as under:

*Projects sanctioned to different agencies for various sectors under Schemes of NEC for all the North Eastern States.

(c) No such information is maintained by the Ministry.

(d) A large proportion of population in the North Eastern States belongs to tribal communities. MDoNER under its schemes has sanctioned 1350 projects worth Rs.15, 867.01 Crore for development of North Eastern States. Further, MDoNER, through North Eastern Council and its Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) make continuous efforts toward promotion of art and culture including food and handicrafts of North Eastern Region (NER). North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC), a CPSU under MDoNER, procures handicrafts and handlooms from artisans and weavers from all the eight North Eastern States and retails 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. North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd. (NERAMAC), a PSU under Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region promotes art and culture of North Eastern Region through participation in various events and exhibitions. NERAMAC has also organized several events including Bihu Festival at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi to make people aware about the culture of NER. North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC), a society under NEC, has conducted a workshop and exhibition in Jammu to show case and promote bamboo technology and bamboo handicrafts expertise of NER.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:

1. Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)
2. Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India
3. Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna(PMAAGY)
4. National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students
5. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) to the ST Students for Studies Abroad
6. Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes
7. Venture Capital Fund (VCF) for Scheduled Tribes
8. Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)
9. Pre- Matric Scholarship
10. Post Matric Scholarship
11. Support to Tribal Research Institute (TRI)
12. Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

This information was given by Minister of Development of North Eastern Region Shri G. Kishan Reddyin a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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MG/RNM/DP/RK