Following are the excerpts from the “Report to the People
2009-10”, released by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan
Singh in New Delhi on 1st June 2010:
The Northeast
1. Securing peace
A regional coordination mechanism, covering all the
Northeastern states, for gathering, analyzing and disseminating intelligence
has been set up at Shillong and has been operationalized with effect from 23rdFebruary 2010. A
number of militant groups have laid down their arms and are prepared to discuss
their demands with the government. A Government of India Representative has been
appointed to hold talks with some of the militant groups from Assam and Meghalaya.
2. Infrastructure development in the Northeast Region
Roads - including the Trans-Arunachal Highway
The UPA government has been paying special attention to the
development of national highways in the North-East region and 10 per cent of
the total allocation is earmarked for that region. So far, about 596 km length
has been completed during 2009-10. Development of roads & highways in Arunachal Pradesh involves about 2319 km of roads. Bids
have already been received for four projects with a total length of 776 km. to
be awarded shortly. The Trans-Arunachal
Highway forms an important part of this initiative.
Railways
The capital cities of the North Eastern states are getting
progressively connected by rail. Guwahati and Agartala are already connected. Projects for connecting the
capitals of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram
and Arunachal Pradesh have been taken up. The mega
rail-cum-road bridge at Bogibeel, over river Brahmputra, which has been taken up will provide an
important link between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Conversion of the metre gauge routes i.e. Lumding-Silchar-Jiribam,
Badarpur-Kumarghat and Rangia-Murkongselek
to broad gauge is being done on priority.
Air connectivity-
infrastructure and services
Three greenfield airports have been
approved, of which one at Pakyong in Sikkim, is already under
construction involving a cost of Rs 264 crore. The development of Tezu
airport, at a cost of Rs. 79.00 crore,
has been approved during 2009-10. The project is being implemented by the
Airports Authority of India. The airport will be ready for operations by March
2012. The viability gap funding to M/s. Alliance Air for providing air services
in the North Eastern Region has been approved for the years 2010 and 2011 at a
cost of Rs. 94.14 crore.
Waterways
A project of the Government of Mizoram
for inland water transport development of Tlawng river has been sanctioned.
Power
The implementation of the Prime Minister’s package for
lighting up all the villages on the international border in Arunachal
Pradesh was started in 2009. A total of 1058 villages are to be covered under
this project out of which 512 villages have already been covered by solar
photovoltaic systems. 546 villages are to be covered by a total of 153 hydel projects, of which 80 villages have already been
covered and work on the remaining is in progress.
Under RGGVY, 16 projects have been sanctioned for Rs. 537.69 crore for
electrification of 2129 villages, intensive electrification of 1756 electrified
villages and 40810 connections to BPL households. As on 31st March 2010, 215 villages have been electrified, 134
electrified villages have been intensively electrified and 967 electricity
connections have been released to BPL households.
3. Addressing Special Needs
During the year, 97 infrastructure projects, at an estimated
cost of Rs. 834.99 crore,
were sanctioned under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR). Some
of the major projects include construction of the Arunachal
secretariat building, upgradation of facilities in 15 degree colleges,
construction of the building for College of Agriculture in Tripura,
improvement of Barpathar-Bokajan-Deithon-Chowkihola
road (31km) in Karbi Anglong
district in Assam, construction of double circuit line from Rongkhon
to Ampati in Meghalaya and
water supply schemes at 22 locations in the region. 36 projects were completed
at a cost of Rs. 249.59 crore
during the year.
During 2009-10, the total allocation by the Central
Ministries/Departments for the North Eastern Region rose to Rs.
15,351 crore from Rs.
14,753 crore provided during 2008-09.
The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation has
sanctioned new loans amounting to Rs. 332.41 crore. The total amount disbursed was Rs.
207.76 crore. The new projects will generate direct
employment for more than 1600 people.
4. Assam Gas Cracker Project
The Assam Gas Cracker Project is expected to generate substantial
downstream investment and employment in the region. The construction activities
at project site are in full swing and Rs.744 crore
has been spent till 31st March 2010. The project is
scheduled for completion in April 2012.
5. Youth Mobilisation
As a part of capacity building and national integration for
the North Eastern States, the first North East Youth Festival was organized at Kohima. About 1300 young persons from all over the country
participated in the three day festival.
****
NSK/DB