Shillong, Mar 2: Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien has raised concerns regarding underutilisation of funds designated for the Northeast, including Meghalaya and called for a thorough investigation into the gaps in the implementation of schemes, vacancies, and infrastructure expenditure.
According to O’Brien, the statistics pertaining to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) is alarming, He highlighted that in the financial year 2024-25, 41 per cent of the allocated budget remains unutilised, a sharp 36 per cent in 2025-26.
“Such severe underspending threatens to derail the developmental goals set for one of India’s most strategically significant and economically fragile regions,” he told Highland Post.
O’Brien said he attended the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee to discuss the Demands for Grants 2026-27 for DoNER and demanded action to address the gaps.
He said there are stark discrepancies in the rollout of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Arunachal Pradesh, expected to benefit nearly 10,000 individuals, has seen only one beneficiary, leaving 99 per cent of the targeted population without support, he said.
In Assam out of the target 2, 18,000 only 71,884 individuals benefitted while out of 25,000 only 711 individuals were covered in Manipur.
In Meghalaya, 95 per cent individuals did not benefit as out of 833 individuals, only 34 benefitted.
O’ Brien said similar gaps reflect across other states in the region, culminating in an overall coverage rate of just 25 per cent for the scheme.
“Overall in the NER out of the target 3, 06,408 only 75,407 benefitted as 75 per cent of intended beneficiaries remain uncovered,” he added.
Furthermore, he pointed out the operational efficacy of DoNER, pointing out that 25 per cent of sanctioned positions within the ministry are currently vacant.
“Such a high vacancy rate inevitably hampers project monitoring, fund disbursal, and inter-state coordination,” he said.
Additionally, he noted a 30 per cent reduction in expenditure on road infrastructure under the Northeast Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, exacerbating the region’s development challenges.
