Cabinet okays a new development scheme for the Northeast

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new scheme named Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) for the remaining four years of the 15th Finance Commission from 2022-23 to 2025-26.

The PM-DevINE scheme will have an outlay of Rs 6,600 crore for the four-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of 15th Finance Commission period).

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the new scheme, which is a central sector scheme with 100 per cent central funding. It will be implemented by the ministry of development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

An official statement said all efforts would be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year. This implies front-loading of the sanctions under the scheme in 2022-23 and 2023-24 primarily. While expenditure would continue to be incurred during 2024-25 and 2025-26, focused attention will be given to complete the sanctioned PM-DevINE projects, the official statement said.

The statement also said PM-DevINE would lead to creation of infrastructure, supporting industries, social development projects and creating livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to employment generation. The scheme will be implemented by the ministry of DoNER through North Eastern Council or central ministries/agencies.

According to the statement, measures would be taken to ensure adequate operation and maintenance of the projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE so that they are sustainable. It also added to limit construction risks of time and cost overrun, the government projects would be implemented on engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) basis, to the extent possible.

According to the official statement, some of the objectives of PM-DevINE are funding infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti; supporting social development projects based on felt needs of the NER; enabling livelihood activities for youth and women and fill the development gaps in various sectors.

PM-DevINE was announced in the Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region (NER). PM-DevINE is an additionality to the quantum of resources available for the development of the NER. The statement also said it would not be a substitute for existing Central and state schemes.

( With inputs from ANI )