The North Eastern Council (NEC) is not a constitutional body, but a statutory organization established under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971, as amended in 2002.
Initially, NEC was an Advisory Body for North Eastern Region (NER). Now NEC is mandated to function as a Regional Planning Body for the North Eastern Region. The Council comprises Governors and Chief Ministers of constituent States and three members nominated by the President.
While formulating the regional plans for the North Eastern Region, it is mandated to give priority to schemes and projects, benefitting two or more States, provided that in case of Sikkim, the Council shall formulate specific projects and schemes for that State including the review of implementation of such project and schemes.
To fulfil its mandate, the NEC has been implementing various projects in different sectors. Over the years, NEC has achieved construction of 10500 kms. of roads, supported installation of 695 MW of power plants, construction of transmission and distribution lines, improvement in infrastructure of 5 major airports and construction of new airport in Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh. A major livelihood programme has transformed the lives of over 120000 women in the NER.
As the NEC was set up in 1971, the fund allocations made to the NEC since the 4th Five Year Plan (1973-74) is as under:
The fund allocation made to the NEC since the 4th Five Year Plan (1973-74)
(Rs. in crore)
|
Plan
|
Approved Outlay
|
Actual Allocation
|
Percentage
|
|
4th Five Year Plan (1973-74)
|
0.33
|
0.33
|
100.00
|
|
5th Five Year Plan (1974-75 to 1977-78)
|
65.11
|
65.11
|
100.00
|
|
Rolling Plan (1978-79 to 1979-80)
|
35.85
|
35.85
|
100.00
|
|
47.00
|
47.00
|
100.00
|
|
6th Five Year Plan (1980-82 to 1984 -85)
|
417.15
|
417.15
|
100.00
|
|
7th Five Year Plan (1985-86 to 1989-90)
|
811.05
|
835.00
|
102.95
|
|
Rolling Plan (1990-91 to 1991-92)
|
202.00
|
202.00
|
100.00
|
|
219.50
|
219.50
|
100.00
|
|
8th Five Year Plan (1992-93 to 1996-97)
|
1588.00
|
1452.00
|
91.44
|
|
9th Five Year Plan (1997-98 to 2001-02)
|
2079.00
|
2055.02
|
98.85
|
|
10th Five Year Plan (2002-03 to 2006-07)
|
2511.5
|
2511.50
|
100.00
|
|
11th Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12)
|
3248.00
|
3247.00
|
99.97
|
The funds to the tune of Rs.4500.00 crore, including Rs.1000.00 crore for North Eastern Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), have been approved for allocation to the NEC during 2017-18 to 2019-20. The funds amounting to Rs.1096.36 crore and Rs.1156.00 crore have been allocated for financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively.
Some sectors have been identified as priorities like Bamboo; Piggery; Regional Tourism; Higher Education, Tertiary Healthcare & Special Intervention in backward areas; Livelihood project; Science & Technology Interventions in NER; Survey & Investigation and NER Promotion.
This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
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