Several infrastructure development projects including connectivity projects have been taken up by the concerned Ministries and Departments of the Central Government in the North Eastern Region (NER).
These relate to improving air connectivity, rail connectivity, road connectivity, waterway connectivity, power connectivity, and telecom connectivity in the NER.
Air Connectivity
Total 28 projects have been completed from 2016-17 to 2021-22 with the approved cost of Rs. 975.58 crore and completion cost of Rs. 979.07 crore. There are 15 ongoing projects with sanctioned amount of Rs. 2,212.30 crore.
Rail Connectivity
As on 01.04.2022, Ministry of Railways has sanctioned 19 projects costing Rs.77,930 crore for 1,909 km length falling fully/ partly in North Eastern Region including those sanctioned since 2014, which are at different stages of planning/approval/execution, out of which 409 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.30,312 crore incurred upto March, 2022.
These include (i) 14 New Line Projects covering a length of 1,181 km at a cost of Rs.61,520 crore, out of which 361 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.27,458 crore incurred upto March, 2022; and (ii) 5 Doubling/Multi tracking Projects covering a length of 728 km at a cost of Rs.16,410 crore, out of which 48 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs.2,854 crore incurred upto March, 2022.
Road Connectivity
A total of 4016.48 km costing Rs.58,385 crore, are ongoing in NER. These projects were undertaken during the last 5 years. The completed projects in NER cover a length of 3099.50 km at a cost of Rs.15,570.44 crore.
The ongoing projects are likely to be completed by May 2024. The major ongoing Capital Road Connectivity projects in NER include the 4 Laning of Dimapur- Kohima Road (62.9 km) in Nagaland; 4 laning of Nagaon bypass to Holongi (167 km) in Arunachal Pradesh; Alternate two-lane Highway from Bagrakote to Pakyong (NH-717A) (152 km) in Sikkim; 2 laning of Aizawl – Tuipang NH-54 (351 km) in Mizoram; and 4 laning of Imphal –Moreh section of NH-39(20 km) and 2-laning of 75.4 km in Manipur.
Waterway Connectivity
River Brahmaputra from Dhubri (Bangladesh Border) to Sadiya (891km) was declared as National Waterway-2 (NW-2) in 1988. The waterway is being developed with fairway of required depth and width, day and night navigation aids and terminals.
The facilities created and planned would cost Rs. 461crore during 5 years (2020-2025). River Barak was declared as National Waterway-16 (NW -16) in the year 2016.
It connects Silchar, Karimganj and Badarpur in Cachar valley of Assam with Haldia and Kolkata ports through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Route. The facilities created and planned would cost Rs.145 crore during 5 years (2020-2025).
Power connectivity
Ministry of Power has also undertaken power generation (hydro/thermal) projects since 2014 in the North Eastern States.
Further, the transmission and distribution network has also been strengthened in these North Eastern States. 03 Hydro Electric Projects (above 25 MW) totaling to 740 MW have been undertaken in the North Eastern States.
A Gas based Power Project in the State of Assam viz. Lakhwa Replacement Power Project of 69.755 MW capacity (7 x 9.965MW) by M/s Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd. was commissioned on 14.02.2018.
Further, Government of India has launched various schemes to enable States including North Eastern augmentation of sub-transmission & distribution infrastructure along with metering and IT enablement of distribution infrastructures etc.
For strengthening of transmission network in the North-Eastern Region, Inter-State Transmission projects have been undertaken, which includes new transmission lines, extension and upgradation of existing substations, augmentation of transformation capacity, reconductoring of transmission lines etc.
Further, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.(PGCIL) is executing two major Intra State power transmission and distribution schemes viz.
- North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) for Six States (Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland) for strengthening of the Intra-State Transmission and Distribution Systems (33 kV and above) sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.6,700 crore; and
- Comprehensive Scheme for Strengthening of Transmission and Distribution System in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.9,129.32 crores.
Telecom connectivity
Department of Telecommunications has also undertaken several projects in the North Eastern States for strengthening telecom connectivity in the region, which, interalia, include
- Mobile Services in uncovered villages in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh (National Highways only) and seamless coverage along National Highway;
- Mobile connectivity in Meghalaya and along National Highways on 4G Technology;
- Mobile connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and 2 Districts of Assam;
- Bharat Net and Wi-Fi Connectivity for Village Panchayats in North Eastern Region; and
- Hiring of 10 Gbps International Bandwidth for Internet Connectivity to Agartala from BSCCL, Bangladesh via Cox Bazar. In the North Eastern States, 1,358 towers covering 1,246 villages have been installed and providing services.
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
In addition, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is implementing various schemes/packages viz.
- North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS),
- Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) Scheme,
- Special Packages of Assam [Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC),
- Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC) and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council(KAATC)],
- Hill Area Development Programme (HADP),
- Social and Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF),
- Schemes of NEC (North Eastern Council) and
- North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), for the development of North Eastern Region.