Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced the allocation of Rs 1500 crore for development initiatives in the North East.
Presenting the budget for fiscal 2022-23, Sitharaman said a new scheme, PM’s Development Initiative for North East or PM-DevINE, will be executed through the North Eastern Council.
The mega scheme has been allotted an initial amount of Rs 1500 crore and has projects for all eight North East states.
The scheme will fund infrastructure, in the spirit of ‘PM GatiShakti’, and social development projects based on the felt needs of the North East.
“This will enable livelihood activities for youth and women, filling the gaps in various sectors,” the Finance Minister explained.
However, the scheme will not substitute existing central or state schemes.
The initial list of projects to be funded under the PM-DevINE Scheme includes establishment of dedicated services for the management of paediatric and adult hematolymphoid cancers in North East India at Guwahati (Multi-State). This project has been given Rs 129 crore annually.
Other projects include NECTAR Livelihood Improvement Project (Rs 67 crore), promoting scientific organic agriculture in North East India (Rs 45 crore), and construction of Aizawl By-Pass on Western Side (Rs 500 crore in Mizoram).
There will be a gap funding for passenger ropeway system for Pelling to Sanga-Choeling in West Sikkim (Rs 64 crore) and also gap funding for eco-friendly ropeway (cable car) from Dhapper to Bhaleydhunga in South Sikkim (Rs 58 crore), and pilot project for construction of bamboo link roads at different locations in various districts in Mizoram (Rs 100 crore).
