New Delhi, Jul 31, 2023, IANS

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS): A total of 108 projects worth Rs 2,273.44 crore were sanctioned under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) from 2019-23, Union Minister for Development of North-East Region (DoNER) said on Monday. 

The Minister said this in a written reply in Lok Sabha in response to a question on the details of the projects under NESIDS in the last four years.

"Under the NESIDS, projects are sanctioned from the sectors relating to water supply, power, connectivity and specially the projects promoting tourism and the social sector of primary and secondary sectors of education and health," Reddy added. 

In response to a another question on connectivity in the northeast, the Minister said: "On rail connectivity, a total of 19 railway infrastructure projects, falling fully/ partly in northeastern states, covering a total length of 1,909 km at a cost of Rs 81,941 crore have been undertaken and are at different stages of planning/approval/execution. Out of these, 482 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs 37,713 crore has been incurred upto March 2023." 

On air connectivity in the region, Reddy said: "There were nine operational airports in 2014 in the northeastern region. Presently, there are 16 operational airports in the region. Additionally, Advanced Landing Ground at Ziro (in Arunachal Pradesh) has also been operationalised. Further, 13 major infrastructure works worth Rs 1,543.70 crore are under implementation in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura." 

On road connectivity, the Minister said: "A total of 261 road projects under different schemes of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways with a total sanctioned cost of Rs 1,02,594 crore are under implementation through National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) and state Public Work Departments (PWDs) in the northeastern states."