MINISTRY OF DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION(SHRI BIJOY KRISHNA HANDIQUE)
(a) to(d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO 274 RAISED BY SHRI WAKCHAURE BHAUSAHEB
RAJARAM, M.P. FOR 15TH MARCH 2011, REGARDING “SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NE REGIONâ€.
(a)&(b) Continuous assessment of the socio-economic challenges and infrastructural constraints
being faced in the North Eastern Region is an integral part of the formulation exercise of
various policies and planning process of the Union Government and its agencies. The Government
of India appointed a High Level Commission in 1996 under the Chairmanship of Sri S.P Shukla,
Member, Planning Commission, which in its report submitted in 1997,interalia, identified the
following four deficits confronting the North Eastern Region:
# a basic need deficit
# an infrastructure deficit
# a resource deficit
# a two-way deficit of understanding with the rest of the country
Subsequently, during the 50th Plenary meeting of North-Eastern Council, on 12th April 2005,
Shri Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister had directed that the North Eastern Council should
prepare a Vision document for the NER with a 15 years’ perspective that “should be viewed as a
Peoples’ Planâ€. NEC then prepared the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 following a series of
stakeholders’ consultations. The document was adopted by the North-Eastern Council in its 56th
Plenary held at Agartala, on 12-13 May 2008 and formally released by the Hon’ble Prime Minister
on 2nd July 2008.
North Eastern Region Vision 2020 (www.mdoner.gov.in) provides the road-map, outlines the goals,
identifies the challenges and suggests implementation strategies for various sectors for peace,
prosperity and development of the North Eastern Region. The document suggests a six-fold
strategy for the comprehensive development of the region:
(i) Empowering people by maximising self-governance and participatory development through
grass-root planning to promote inclusive development.
(ii) Creation of development opportunities for the rural areas through enhancing
productivity in agriculture and allied activities such as animal husbandry, horticulture,
floriculture, fisheries and generation of livelihood options through rural non-farm employment.
(iii) To develop sectors in the region which have a comparative advantage such as agro
processing, hydel power generation.
(iv) Enhancing the skills and competencies of the people and building the capacities for
institutions within the Government and outside.
(v) Creating a hospitable investment climate to encourage investment by private sector
particularly for infrastructure.
(vi) Harnessing the resources of the Government and the private sector to realise the
objectives of the Vision.
Overall, the Vision Document stresses the development of agriculture and allied sectors,
strengthening of physical infrastructure, participatory development and inclusive governance.
(c)&(d) By amendment of the NEC Act in 2002, NEC is statutorily ordained to act as a Regional
Planning Body for NE Region. It has taken several initiatives for the balanced development of
the Region, that inter-alia includes the following:
Road
NEC has extended assistance for construction and improvement of many roads of regional and
economic importance in NER. Road and bridges sector form the largest component of the NEC’s
Plan Budget. It also assists construction of bridges and Inter-State Bus and Truck Terminals.
Since inception, NEC has sanctioned construction/improvement/upgradation of 157 roads with a
length of more than 11000 km. Out of this construction/improvement/upgradation of about 9000 km
has been completed so far. In the 11th Plan, NEC has sanctioned 16 roads of regional and
economic importance, which have a combined length of 979 km. Replacement of 77 timber bridges
was sanctioned in 10th Plan, out of which 74 have been completed. In addition, NEC has partly
funded the construction of three major bridges, including two over river Brahmaputra. Thirteen
Inter-State Bus Terminals and Truck Terminals have been funded in important cities of the North
Eastern Region with financial support from NEC.
Air- Connectivity
NEC in association with Airports Authority of India has undertaken improvement of 10 airports
in NER, viz, Guwahati, Lilabari, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Silchar, Tezpur, Imphal, Agartala
and Umroi (Meghalaya) during the 9th and 10th Plan. Improvement of seven airports is completed.
Works in Silchar, Dibrugarh and Umroi airports are in different stages of progress. NEC has
also supported a project for improvement of Lengpui Airport in Aizawl (which is owned by the
Govt. of Mizoram) and operationalization of Tezu airport in Arunachal Pradesh.
NEC has been supporting viability gap funding to Alliance Air for operating air services within
the North Eastern Region since 2002. This is particularly meant for those airports of the NER
that are not well connected by other commercial airlines.
Power
Since inception, NEC has contributed a 694.50 MW of capacity addition (630 hydro & 64.50
thermal) to the installed capacity in the NE Region. It has also supported important
transmission/distribution lines of a length of 1285.50 Circuit Kilometers, over forty system
improvement schemes, comprising of 28 sub-stations and 12 transmission lines projects spread
over the region. NEC has partnered Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. for preparation of
Detailed Project Report for ‘Strengthening of Transmission & Sub-transmission of Power Systems
in the NE Region including Sikkim’.
NEC is also supporting viability gap funding to Renewable Resources of Energy schemes which
include micro/ mini hydel projects, solar hybrid and wind energy projects, etc.
Tourism & Hospitality
NEC has undertaken preparation of a comprehensive Tourism Master Plan for the NER
through a consultant and also assists tourism projects in the States including those of human
resource development and tourism.
Irrigation and Flood Control
In the Irrigation and Flood Control sector, NEC has supported the following :
# survey and investigation of hydro-electric and multi-purpose projects which cover
irrigation, flood control and power generation
# implementation of six irrigation projects
# Implementation of eighteen flood control and river management projects.
# Thirteen schemes in Sikkim related to water supply and drainage
During the current financial year NEC is funding Survey and Investigation of twelve hydro
electric projects, two minor irrigation schemes and eight flood & erosion control schemes.
NEC has established and supports the North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land
Management (NERIWALM) in Tezpur, Assam which is engaged in research and capacity building
in the field of water and land management.
