Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju has said there has been a “quantum jump” in allocation for the Northeast in the Union budget 2022-2023 and hoped that the respective governments will utilise the budgetary support effectively.
“In the last year’s budget the total allocation for the Northeast was little more than 68,000 crore which now has come to more than 76,000 crore. So it is a huge quantum jump, a jump of nearly 8,000 crore,” Rijiju told reporters in Shillong today.
Pointing out that infrastructure requires huge investment, Rijiju said in the last seven and half years the region have received more support from the centre than what they did in the last five or six decades.
“This support includes railway projects, airports, highways roads for the villages in the rural areas and all important critical support for the development of soft infrastructure in the field of education, health and other sectors,” he added.
The union minister said that other than the quantum jump the PMDevINE scheme with an initial allotment of Rs 1500 crore will be utilised in those sectors which are not covered by any other programs and policies or schemes.
“What we’ve seen is in the Northeast due to unique geographical and regional character there are some areas some critical structures some issues which are not settled by existing programs and policies. There are many areas which are left out or leaves a gap. This special amount is to fill up all those gaps so that nothing is left as a vacuum,” he stated.
Rijiju said Shillong which is known as a very progressive city and hoped that the people will welcome the union budget, which covers every section of the society. “Nobody will be left out whether it is with regards to electricity connection or gas connection or portable water at your doorstep, banking accessibility and all critical requirements of common people are taken care under this budget,” he said, adding that under the MDA government in Meghalaya, which is in alliance with the BJP, the union budget will be implemented effectively.
Earlier today the union minister addressed BJP party workers in Shillong on the budget.
