The North Eastern Region (NER) comprising of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura are all special category States and the national planning and resource allocations impart a special emphasis on the economic and social development of NE States. The development plans in the North East are centrally financed on the basis of 90% grant and 10% loan.
The NE states have been provided grants under the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) to improve their infrastructure facilities. The Empowered Committee administering the NLCPR has since its inception in 1998-99, approved proposal worth Rs.816.66 crore for the development of educational infrastructure in the NER, out of which, funds amounting to Rs.655.84 crore have been released (as on 30.11.2007). During 2006-07 and 2007-08, an amount of Rs.159.99 crore and Rs.51.87 crore has been released for various educational projects.
· Setting up of an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in NER.
As per the Hon’ble HRM announcement made at Shillong on 14th – 16th June 2004 during the Review Meeting with the Chief Ministers of the North Eastern States, to set up an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at an appropriate location in the NER, it has been decided to set up an IIM at Shillong.
The State Govt. will provide land measuring 120 acres or more free of cost for IIM, Shillong. The State Government has made an appropriate temporary accommodation available. The academic session will commence from the academic year 2007-08.
· Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura University, Agartala, Tripura have been converted into Central Universities in 2007.
· Established a Central University in Sikkim in 2007.
· National Institute of Technology (NIT), Agartala:
The NIT, Agartala (the erstwhile Tripura Engineering College (TEC), Agartala) would be integrated with other National Institutes of Technology (NITs) in terms of academic and administrative practices from the academic session 2006-2007.
· Up gradation of Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT) into a National Institute of Technology (NIT):
The Central Government has approved, in principle, the up gradation of the Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT) to that of National Institute of Technology (NIT). A Central Team after inspection from 19-21 September 2007 have submitted a favorable report to Hon’ble HRM in November 2007, which is under process.
Setting up of Engineering and Management faculties in the North Eastern States:During the year 2004-05, a total sum of Rs.52.00 crores was released to five Central Universities located in the State of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam and three State universities in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura (which have been converted into Central Universities later in the years 2006 and 2007) for setting up of Engineering and Management faculties in the North Eastern States. The courses have been started in all such Universities except Mizoram. The Mizoram University could start Management Programme only in July 2007.
· The number of seats to Nagaland in Engineering has been enhanced to 120 for the academic session 2006-07 under the scheme of “Reservation of Seats in Degree/Diploma level Technical Courses for States/UTs”.
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