The South India Times
(Special Correspondent)
New Delhi: The Centre has approved the continuation of schemes of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) with an outlay of Rs 12,882 crore for the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission (2022-23 to 2025-26). Addressing a press conference here, Minister for DoNER G Kishan Reddy said the decision to extend the approved schemes for the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
This would enable better planning for the implementation of the schemes in terms of project selection and front-loading of projects during the scheme period, he said.
Reddy said efforts will be made to conclude the maximum number of projects by 2025-26 so that there are minimum committed liabilities beyond that year.
The minister said based on the Expenditure Finance Committee’s (EFC) recommendations, the outlay for the North East Special Infrastructure Scheme (NESIDS) will be Rs 8,139.5 crore, including the committed liabilities of the ongoing projects. The outlay for the “Schemes of NEC” will be Rs 3,202.7 crore, including the committed liabilities of the ongoing projects, the outlay for special packages for the Bodoland Territorial Council, the Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC) and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in Assam is Rs 1,540 crore, including the committed liabilities of the ongoing projects. The NESIDS, a central sector scheme with 100 per cent central funding, has been restructured having two components — NESIDS (Roads) and NESIDS (other than road infrastructure). Reddy said the development of the northeast is a major priority for the Centre, while pointing out that the prime minister has visited the region more than 50 times and Union ministers have visited it more than 400 times in the last eight years.
The northeast was previously known for unrest, bombings, bandhs etc. but in the last eight years, peace has been established in the region under Modi’s leadership, he said. The minister said the objectives of the schemes of the MDoNER is to supplement the efforts of the different central ministries and departments on one hand and to address the needs of the northeastern states on the other, for uncovered development and welfare activities.
