Sikkim gets Rs 215 crore for 8 projects under NE Special Infrastructure Development Scheme

EOI, KOLKATA, 3 AUGUST 2023 : Under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), the DoNER Ministry has sanctioned since its inception in 2017-18 eight projects worth Rs 215 crore to fill the gaps in certain sectors, says a PIB release. 

For the north-east region as a whole, a total of 145 projects worth nearly Rs 3,400 crore have been sanctioned. The Ministry has taken a number of initiatives to ensure completion of the ongoing projects. The release of funds for the projects is linked to physical and financial progress of the work. 

The Ministry releases funds under its schemes through Public Finance Management System (PFMS) to ensure ‘just in time’ release. State Governments of NER have also been instructed to implement Expenditure-Advance-Transfer modules of PFMS for tracking of funds released under the schemes. 

In addition, The Ministry conducts regular review meetings with State Governments at senior level and undertakes field visits for monitoring the progress. Meanwhile, realizing the strategic and economic importance of the NE region, having international borders with China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Centre has upgraded its policy for the region from ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East,’ the objective of which is to promote economic cooperation, culturalities and strategic relationships with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, says Deputy Director PIB Gangtok Monika.

Connectivity being the buzzword of Act East Policy, the Centre has been implementing projects under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the NE and Bharatmala Pariyojana. Road development projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been completed in the NE in the past nine years;  including the construction of42,000 kms of rural roads. Projects have also been sanctioned for road connectivity under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region scheme.

Despite the difficult terrain and practical difficulties inlaying of railway tracks and related infrastructure, the Centre has been trying to bring the capitals of all NE states under the railway map. Beside Assam, the capitals of Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have already been connected by broad gauge railway network.

The setting up of railway connectivity to the capitals of Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya is underway. Kohima, incidentally, will be the second railway station in Nagaland; Dimapur being already an important station on the Guwahati - Dibrugarh route.

Among the new railway lines being set up are Sevoke – Rangpo (44 km), Jiribam – Imphal (111km), Bhairabi – Sairang (51 km), Dimapur – Zubza (82 km), Tetelia– Byrnihat (22 km) and Byrnihat– Shillong (108 km).Over 1,900 km of railway tracks have been laid in the NE since 2014. Some of the landmark railway projects are: the world’s tallest girder railway bridge being constructed on the Jiribam – Tupul – Imphal line; Bogibeel Bridge, being the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India, reducing the travel time from Dibrugarh to Itanagar from 24 hours to five hours.

Besides, the India – Myanmar– Thailand Trilateral Highway will boost trade and the Dhola –Sadiya Bridge which has been revived is the longest bridge in India; reducing travel time from six hours to one hour.

Under air connectivity eight new airports have been built in the NE and 66 air routes made operational in the past nine years. Sikkim has been connected to the air network for the first time through Pakyong airport, among the five highest airports in India.

Under the Act East Policy, waterways and inland water transport have the potential to boost trade with neighbouring countries. Cargo vessels carrying200 tonnes of foodgrain have reached Guwahati via Bangladesh. 

 The Centre has sanctioned the development of Inland Water Transport infrastructure on the Dhubri –Sadiya stretch of river Brahmaputra, on river Barak and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol for five years, from 2020-21to 2024-25.