New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The Centre has constructed 16,207 km of National Highways and sanctioned an investment of Rs. 69,342 crore for railways projects to boost infrastructure and economic development in the northeastern states, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

As many as 12 railway projects, comprising 8 new lines and 4 doubling, costing Rs 69,342 crore and stretching across a total length of 777 km falling partly or fully in the North East Region (NER) have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Railways, out of which, 278 km has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs. 41,676 crore has been incurred up to March 2025, Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Sukanta Majumdar told the Rajya Sabha.

Besides, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 17,637 road works of 89,436 Km and 2398 bridges have been sanctioned in NER, out of which 16,469 road works of 80,933 km and 2,108 bridges have been completed, he added.

The minister further stated that for providing high bandwidth capacity internet/broadband connectivity and mobile services to remote and rural villages in the NER, a number of steps and projects have been taken up with funding from the Digital Bharat Nidhi. As many as 6355 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project in NER. Additionally, 3297 mobile towers have been commissioned in NER under various government-funded mobile projects.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation had launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country and make travel affordable to the masses. A total of 90 routes have been operationalised in the NER under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) connecting 12 airports and heliports across the NE states, the minister said.

In addition, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is also providing financial assistance to the eight northeastern states to take up developmental projects, linked to infrastructure development, connectivity, communication, etc., under the five Central Sector Schemes.

The Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) was announced as a new Central Sector Scheme, with 100 per cent Central funding. The scheme with a total outlay of Rs 6,600 crore extends for a 4-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26. The objectives of the PM-DevINE Scheme are to fund infrastructure projects convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti, support social development projects based on the felt needs of the NER, enable livelihood activities for youth and women and to fill the development gaps in various sectors.

The DoNER Ministry also provides funding to the eight northeastern states for the development of the tourism sector in NER through its Central Sector Schemes, the minister added.

–IANS

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