Feb 14: Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) was announced as a new Scheme in the Union Budget 2022-23. The approval of the Cabinet was accorded for the PM-DevINE Scheme on 12 October 2022. It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central funding, and has an outlay of Rs. 6,600 crore for the 4-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of the 15th Finance Commission period).
The objectives of PM-DevINE are to (i) Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti; (ii) Support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER; (iii) Enable livelihood activities for youth and women; and (iv) Fill the development gaps in various sectors. PM-DevINE will lead to the creation of infrastructure, support industries, social development projects and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to income and employment generation.
PM-DevINE is an addition to the quantum of resources available for the development of the NER. It will not be a substitute for existing Central and State Schemes. The PM-DevINE scheme will be implemented by the Ministry of DoNER through the North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/agencies or State Government agencies. To limit construction risks of time and cost overrun falling on the Government, projects would be implemented on Engineering-Procurement-Construction(EPC)basis, to the extent possible. To ensure the sustainability of PM-DevINE projects, adequate arrangements for the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the assets will be made.
For FY 2022-23, eleven projects (details in Annexure-I), including the seven projects announced in Budget 2022-23, have been selected for sanction.
To ensure a quantum jump in budgetary resource flows to the North Eastern Region to fill the backlog and gaps in basic minimum services and infrastructure, 55 non-exempted Central Ministries/Departments, are mandated to spend at least 10% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes in NER. The total expenditure in NER in the last 8 years (2014-15 to 2021-22) under 10% GBS has been over Rs.3.36 lakh crore. The details of the Budget Estimate, Revised Estimate and Actual Expenditure under 10% GBS during the last eight years from 2014-15 to 2021-22 are given inAnnexure-II.
The other schemes initiated by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) during the last eight years for the development of the North East Region:
- North Eastern Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) during 2017-18; and
- North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) through North Eastern Council (NEC) in 2015-16.
Under NESIDS, 145 projects have been approved/sanctioned for a total cost of Rs.3,392.98 crore since inception. Out of these, 06 projects worth Rs.129.50 crore have been completed. Under NERSDS, a total of 29 projects costing Rs.1,939.54crore for a length of about 564.62 km have been sanctioned, out of which 2 projects costing Rs.62.97 crore for a length of 19.13 km have been completed.
Annexure-I
| S. No. | Name of the project | Approved Cost(in Rs. crore) |
| 1 | Establishment of Dedicated Services for the Management of Pediatric and Adult Hematolymphoid Cancers in North East India, at Dr B.Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati | 129.00 |
| 2 | NECTAR Livelihood Improvement Project (Multi-State): Value Chain on Utilization of Banana Pseudo Stem for Value-Added Products. | 67.00 |
| 3 | Promoting Scientific Organic Agriculture in North East India, using Improved Farming Techniques & Digital Data Management through Capacity Building of Farmers and Facilitating Certification.(Multi-State) | 45.00 |
| 4 | Construction of Aizwal By-pass on the Western Side in Mizoram | 500.00 |
| 5 | Construction and upgradation of Bamboo Link Roads- from Tuirial Airfield to North Chaltlang (18 km) at a cost of Rs. 33.58 crores; and from Lengpui to Saiphal Bamboo Plantation (41 km)at a cost of Rs. 66.42 crores, in Mizoram | 100.00 |
| 6 | Gap funding for Passenger Ropeway System from Pelling to Sanga-Choeling in West Sikkim | 64.00 |
| 7 | Gap funding for Passenger Ropeway from Dhapper to Bhaleydunga in South Sikkim | 58.00 |
| 8 | Transformation of 20 schools as Centre of Excellence in the Kamrup District of Assam by Public Works Department, Government of Assam | 132.86 |
| 9 | Construction of a new four-lane road and conversion of an existing two-lane road into a four-lane with cycling tracks, utility ducts, footpaths, etc. at New Shillong Township by Directorate of Urban Affairs, Government of Meghalaya | 146.79 |
| 10 | Livelihood projects relating to Special Development of Eastern Nagaland by the Department of Under Developed Areas (DUDA), Government of Nagaland | 180.00 |
| 11 | Establishment of a Solar Micro Grid for the supply of reliable power to Remote Habitations in Tripura by the Department of Power, Government of Tripura | 80.79 |
| Total | 1503.44 |
Annexure-II
| Budget Estimate | Revised Estimate | Actual Expenditure | Actual Expenditure as % of RE |
| 36,107.56 | 27,359.17 | 24,819.18 | 90.72 |
| 29,087.93 | 29,669.22 | 28,673.73 | 96.64 |
| 29,124.79 | 32,180.08 | 29,367.90 | 91.26 |
| 43,244.64 | 40,971.69 | 39,753.44 | 97.03 |
| 47,994.88 | 47,087.95 | 46,054.80 | 97.81 |
| 59,369.90 | 53,374.19 | 48,533.80 | 90.93 |
| 60,112.11 | 51,270.90 | 48,563.82 | 94.72 |
| 68,020.24 | 68,440.26 | 70,874.32 | 103.56 |
| 3,36,640.99 |
