Center allocates Rs 3,417 crore for 90 infra projects in North-Eastern states
The Department of North East Regional Development (MDoNER) has approved about 90 projects worth Rs 3,417.68 crore under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) during the last three financial years from 2021-22 to 2023 -24 and the current financial year 2024-25, the Ministry said.
A major portion of the funds were for road projects and Assam was the highest recipient with a share of Rs 1,392 crore while Arunachal Pradesh was second by disbursing Rs 603.91 crore.
Sukanta Majumdar, minister of state, MDoNER said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the projects approved under NESIDS are implemented by the North Eastern Regional Governments (NER) and the responsibility for monitoring these projects lies with the concerned State Governments.
MDoNER also monitors the progress of ongoing projects at various levels. The Ministry has established Field Technical Support Units (FTSU) in all the eight states of North East.
In order to strengthen the monitoring mechanism of ongoing projects under various MDoNER programs including NESIDS, the SOP for collaboration with Project Quality Monitors (PQMs)/Third Party Inspection Units was issued in February 2024.
Projects costing up to Rs 20 crore are inspected by PQMs and for large infrastructure projects, with a project size of more than Rs 20 crore, NER government engineering colleges have been roped in as Third Party Technical Inspection (TPTI) bodies to monitor these. projects, he explained.
The Ministry of Aid’s NESIDS program has two components: NESIDS(Roads) and NESIDS Off Road Infrastructure (OTRI). Under NESIDS (Roads), projects leading to the creation of physical assets in roads/bridges and ancillary infrastructure are only considered for sanction.
Under NESIDS (OTRI), projects lead to the construction of infrastructure for primary and secondary health care, primary and secondary education, water supply, waste management,
Industrial development, civil aviation, sports, telecom etc, with project size between Rs 5 crore to Rs 50 crore, have been considered for sanction. All North-Eastern states were eligible for approval of projects to the extent of their normal allocations as applicable under NESIDS, the minister added.
