Lok Sabha Question No. 2808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Socio-Economic Challenges in NER
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA

Unstarred Question No. 2808

To be answered on

Wednesday, August 2, 2017/Shravana 11, 1939 (Saka)

## QUESTION

## Socio-Economic Challenges in NER

† 2808. SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  DEVELOPMENT  OF  NORTH  EASTERN  REGION  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  socio-economic  challenges  and infrastructural obstructions being faced by the North Eastern Region (NER);
- (b) if  so, the outcome of the assessment and the action taken by the Government thereon; and
- (c) if not, the reasons thereof?

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

- (a) The Government has assessed the challenges being faced by the North Eastern Region (NER) through various studies and reports submitted by different Committees, Commissions,  Task  Forces  etc.  appointed  from  time  to  time.  Some  of  these  include Shukla Commission Report; Usha Thorat Committee Report on Financial Sector Plan for North Eastern Region; Report of the Task Force on Connectivity and Promotion of Trade  and  Investment  in  NE  States;  Report  on  Poverty  Eradication  in  NER;  District Infrastructure  Index  for  NER  prepared  by  Ministry  of  DoNER;  Human  Development Report of NE States; Report of the Working Group on Improvement & Development of

Transport  Infrastructure  in  North  East  for  the  National  Transport  Development  Policy Committee etc.

(b) The assessment broadly identified various measures to bridge the infrastructural gaps and remove the backlog in basic minimum services in North Eastern States that include connecting North-East with rest of India and world through rail, road, water and air connectivity, opening new trade and business opportunities by improving the banking sector and giving incentive to Industry sector etc.

Government has taken concerted efforts for development of the North-Eastern Region.  All non-exempt Central Ministries/Departments are required to spend 10% of their  Gross  Budgetary  Support  in  the  North  -  Eastern  Region  not  only  through  their ongoing schemes, but also through dedicated schemes for the North-Eastern Region.  Special projects taken for the North-Eastern Region, inter-alia, include Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE); Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan; Broad Gauging & Capital Connectivity Rail Projects; World Bank Assisted Power Transmission & Distribution Projects; Scheme for Inter-State  Neglected  Roads  etc.   In  addition,  the  Ministry  of  DoNER,  through  its schemes of Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR)-State & Central, North Eastern  Road  Sector  Development  Scheme  (NERSDS),  North  Eastern  Regional Livelihood Project (NERLP-EAP), North Eastern Region Community Resource Management  Project  (NERCORMP),  Social  and  Infrastructure  Development  Fund (SIDF) Scheme etc. along with schemes of North Eastern Council  has taken steps  to bridge the social and physical infrastructure gaps in North Eastern Region.

(c) Does not arise in view of reply given at (b) above.

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