Shillong/Guwahati, Sep 9: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Wednesday and sought a renewed push for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) in the Northeast.
The meeting focused on increasing capital expenditure in the Northeast and creating new investment channels for physical and social infrastructure through EAPs, Sarma said.
“With an objective to increase capital expenditure into India’s North East, I along with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya Shri @SangmaConrad Ji had a very good meeting with the Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman Ji,” he said in a social media post.
“We made a strong case to bring a new impetus to the pace of Externally Aided Projects in both of our states, which will open new investment channels for physical and social infrastructure,” he said.
Sarma said Sitharaman responded positively to the proposals and assured the chief ministers of a renewed push by the Centre to advance the development agenda in the region.
In a separate social media post, Sangma said, “Met the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister, Smti @nsitharaman ji along with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. @himantabiswa ji to discuss matters relating to Externally Aided Projects.”
A senior Meghalaya Finance Department official said Sangma specifically pressed for an additional allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for the state under the EAP window.
The demand comes weeks after Sangma said Meghalaya was seeking an increase in its EAP allocation, which has remained at Rs 5,000 crore since the previous Finance Commission.
Sangma had earlier said Meghalaya was seeking to raise the allocation to Rs 15,000 crore, with an initial request to double the existing limit to Rs 10,000 crore.
He had also said the state had performed well in implementing EAPs and that the Centre services 90 per cent of the loans.
The meeting comes as Assam and Meghalaya seek to accelerate infrastructure development and mobilise greater investment to support growth in the Northeast. (PTI)
