The Budget presented on the 01st of February, 2023 by the Finance Minister has provided much higher outlays for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) during the Financial Year 2023-24.

With the objective of seeking a significant impact in the North Eastern Region (NER), emphasis has been laid on enhancing capital expenditure in the NE Region.

Enhanced outlays are also provided towards supporting the initiatives with special focus for the ST and SC communities ; and the livelihoods of the women and the youth in NER.

There have been significant increases in the MDoNER Scheme-wise outlays also, that will increase the impact in infrastructure, social-development and livelihood sectors in the NER.

In addition, the quantum of funds to be earmarked by the various Central Ministries / Departments in the NER as per the 10% GBS stipulations have also been significantly enhanced. Some of the major ongoing infrastructure projects in NER such as Capital Connectivity Roads and Rail-Lines, Air Connectivity, Power, Telecom, Petroleum & Natural Gas etc. are financed under 10% GBS.

The salient aspects of the Budget announcements related to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region are given hereafter. 

• There is a step-jump in the budget outlay for the MDoNER during the Financial Year 2023-24. The total B.E. 2023-2024 allocation is Rs. 5892.00 crore ; well over twice (~114% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 2755.05 crore.

 

• Out of this outlay of Rs 5892.00 crore in BE 2023-24, Rs 4093.25 crore (~70%) is provided for Capital expenditure. In addition, Rs. 1,324.03 crore further from within the amount of Rs. 1,798.75 crore provided for Revenue Expenditure is as grants for creation of capital assets.

 

• This is tantamount to provisioning of Rs. 5,417.28 crore (~92%) out of Rs. 5,892.00 crores as B.E. 2023-24 outlay for MDoNER towards expenditure of capital nature. 

 

• The allocation for Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) out of the B.E. outlay for 2023-24 has been enhanced to Rs. 1690.00 crore or over twice (~101% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 839.95 crore for TSP.

 

• The allocation for Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) out of the B.E. outlay for 2023-24 has been enhanced to Rs. 488.00 crore or nearly one and a half times (~48% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 330.54 crore for SCSP.

 

• The total B.E. 2023-2024 allocation for the infrastructure targeted North East Special Infrastructure Development (NESID) Scheme is Rs. 2,491.00 crore ; well over (~67% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 1,493.30 crore.

 

• The total B.E. 2023-2024 allocation for the infrastructure, social development and livelihoods targeted Prime Ministers Development Initiative for North-East (PMDevINE) Scheme is Rs. 2,200.00 crore ; four and a half times the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 400.00 crore.

 

• The total B.E. 2023-2024 allocation for the overall wholistic development, social infrastructure and social development targeted Schemes of NEC is Rs. 800.00 crore ; (~20% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 666.87 crore.

 

• As per Expenditure Profile of Union Budget 2023-24 Statement-11, the 10% GBS share for the NER comes to Rs. 94,679.53 (~31% higher than) the RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 72.540.28 crore under 10% GBS share of the 55 non-exempt Ministries / Departments.

 

• In comparison to the actual expenditure of Rs. 24,819.18 crore in 2014-15, the B.E. 2023-24 provision for 10% GBS shows an increase of Rs. 71,860.35 crore ; nearly thrice ( ~281% higher than) the actual expenditure in 2014-15.

 

• In aggregate,  a total of Rs. 3,37,000 crore was spent in the period from 2014-15 to 2021-22. Together with the anticipated expenditures of Rs. 72,540.28 crore in 2022-23 and Rs. 94,679.53 crore in 2023-24, the aggregate expenditure in NER under the 10% GBS stipulation is likely to reach Rs. 5,00,000 crore in the decade from 2014-15 to 2023-24.

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            MG/MPW/RK

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