Government is, in fact, giving special attention to infrastructure development projects, such as, road, rail, communication, and telecom network in the North Eastern Region.
A total of 197 on-going road development projects are being implemented under various programmes/schemes of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoR&TH) in the North Eastern States. The total length and the total sanctioned cost of these projects are 4320.95 kms and Rs.37691.05 crore respectively.
20 major railway projects consisting of 13 new lines, 2 gauge conversions and 5 doublings, having aggregate length of 2624 km at a cost of Rs.52030 crore have been taken up in the North Eastern Region. An expenditure of Rs.21336 crore has been incurred on these projects upto March, 2016. An outlay of Rs.5040 crore has been provided for 2016-17 for these projects and for the residual liabilities of some completed projects.
Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for North-Eastern Region at a cost of Rs.5336.18 crore is under implementation.
North Eastern Council (NEC) is implementing 715 various development projects in North Eastern States, and are underway at a total approved cost of Rs.714864.98 lakh. Ministry of Rural Development is providing assistance in respective State Governments under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) programme.
Ministry of DoNER is also providing funds for meeting gaps in infrastructure, subject to the availability of funds. An amount of Rs.4113.31 crore has been released for 608 Roads and Bridges under Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme upto 5.8.2016. Under the scheme, North East State Roads Investment Project, a total of 433.4 kms is undertaken for upgradation/ construction in the North East at a total cost of Rs.1355.83 crore. Under North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), four inter-state neglected road projects have been taken up by Ministry of DoNER for upgradation through National Highway & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
This was stated by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question by Shrimati Jharna Das Baidya in the Rajya Sabha today.
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KSD/NK/PK
(Release ID :148769)