Shillong, Nov 9 (PTI) The North Eastern Council (NEC) on Monday said it has released Rs 79.53 crore for development projects across the region in October, including funds for the rehabilitation and strengthening of the 46.08-km Chokpot-Kharukol road in Meghalaya, which is expected to benefit 78 villages and more than 15,000 residents.
Meghalaya received the highest allocation of Rs 26.56 crore among the eight northeastern states, with the major share directed towards the road project under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme-Roads (NESIDS-Roads).
Support was also extended for the establishment of a Multi-Disciplinary Training-cum-Resource Centre in Shillong, an NEC statement said.
The NEC, functioning under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), released funds under its Schemes of NEC (SoNEC) and NESIDS-Roads, supporting initiatives spanning connectivity, rural infrastructure, agriculture, enterprise development, education and cultural preservation.
Assam received Rs 14.79 crore for a range of connectivity, livelihood and heritage-related initiatives which included rural road links such as Mangaldoi-Mazikuchi and the Bogamati-Umananda link via Naobandha and Khaagrabari, an RCC bridge in Udalguri, a 20,000-litre dairy processing plant at Patacharkuchi, support for Deori tribal weavers in Lakhimpur and the Sepoy Mutiny War Memorial at Hailakandi.
Arunachal Pradesh was allocated Rs 11.18 crore, primarily for strategic road connectivity in border and remote areas.
Projects included the Riaga-Sango road in Kra Daadi district and the 21-km Amuli-Athuni road via Leyaka Pass in Anini. Funds were also released for a girls’ hostel at Donyi Polo Government College in Kamki.
Sikkim received Rs 15.51 crore for strengthening organic agriculture and veterinary healthcare, including the upgradation of district veterinary hospitals in Pakyong, Soreng, Mangan and Gyalshing into modern polyclinics.
Nagaland received Rs 7.99 crore for initiatives covering enterprise development, trade facilitation, mineral-resource assessment and road connectivity.
The projects included a proposed Supercritical Extraction Unit and Community Trade Link Centre at Jalukie, besides the upgradation of the Lampong Sheanghah-Nyasa road in Mon district.
Tripura was allocated Rs 3.50 crore for establishing the Agar International Trade and Research Centre to strengthen commercial value chains in the agarwood sector. Support was also extended to research documenting the contributions of tribal freedom fighters.
In Manipur and Mizoram, funding supported road projects, a bridge over the Leimakhong River, infrastructure for the Barak Heritage Festival in Senapati, facilities at Oriental College in Imphal West, a jaggery processing centre at Phulpui and a market at West Phaileng.
Alongside fresh fund releases, several projects across the region were completed or formally closed in October, covering infrastructure, scientific research, agriculture, livelihood promotion, education and cultural preservation, according to the statement.
In Meghalaya, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, completed the design and development of low-cost laboratory instruments.
In Arunachal Pradesh, a 6-km strategic road connecting BRTF Road to Pidi in West Siang was completed at a cost of Rs 19.55 crore, improving access to the Mechukha area. A mini football stadium at Chowkham in Namsai district was also made operational, it added.
Assam recorded progress in scientific and rural development, with the Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI), Jorhat, commissioning an expanded tissue culture laboratory that increased its bamboo tissue-culture capacity tenfold, from 3,000 to 30,000 plantlets.
Other completed initiatives in Assam included the integrated development of Socheng Development Block in West Karbi Anglong, provision of essential services at Rongmongwe Block in Karbi Anglong and the development of a high-tech horticulture nursery.
In Nagaland, capacity-building initiatives in post-harvest rubber sheet processing and commercial fruit-wine making were completed, while Mizoram completed the construction of the Aizawl Institute of Art and Music at Tuivamit Tlang.
In Manipur, heritage conservation works were completed at the historic Panam Ningthou Immortal Fire and ancient monuments in Andro. The strengthening of Hindi sections in 10 government colleges was also completed.
The NEC also supported the recently concluded North East Bankers Conclave 3.0 in Aizawl, which discussed financing for major projects and ways to improve institutional credit access for micro, small and medium enterprises, Farmer Producer Organisations and women’s self-help groups across the eight northeastern states. PTI JOP NN
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