Lok Sabha Question No. 4261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: NEEDS
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

## Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4261

To be answered on Wednesday, March 18, 2026/ Phalguna 27, 1947 (Saka)

## NEEDS

4261. Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka:

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

- (a) the total budgetary allocation and actual utilisation under the North East Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS) since its inception, year-wise;
- (b) the total number of enterprises and projects financed through NEEDS in each State of the North Eastern Region, sector and year-wise;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  laid  down  implementation  milestones  or  progress indicators to evaluate the impact of NEEDS, if so, the status of those benchmarks as of 2025-26 thereof; and
- (d)  whether  any  independent  review  or  audit  has  been  undertaken  to  assess  the effectiveness  of  NEEDS  in  catalysing  entrepreneurship,  job  creation,  and  sustainable development in the region and if so, the key findings thereof?

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

- (a) The  total  budgetary  allocation  under  the  North  East  Enterprise  Development Scheme (NEEDS) is ₹300.00 crore, while the actual utilization as on 28.02.2026 stands at ₹645.48 crore. The year-wise details of funds received and disbursed is given below:

( Rs. in Crore )

|   Year |   Fund Received | Fund Disbursed   |
|--------|-----------------|------------------|
|     40 |           82.55 | 2021-22          |
|     50 |          129.42 | 2022-23          |
|     60 |          126.25 | 2023-24          |

| 2024-25   |   70.00 |   168.19 |
|-----------|---------|----------|
| 2025-26   |      80 |   139.07 |
| Total     |     300 |   645.48 |

(b) The  State-wise  number  of  enterprises/projects  financed  and  the  total  fund disbursement under the North East Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS) during 2021-22 to 2025-26 (up to February 28, 2026) are at Annexure-I.

- (c) Yes. The scheme is implemented through North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. under the guidance of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.  MDoNER  signs  an  Memorandum  of  Understanding    (MoU)  with  NEDFi specifying  various  implementation  milestones  which  include  State-wise  utilization  of funds, promotion of entrepreneurship in the North Eastern Region through organization of Business Meets across all eight States, conduct of capacity-building programmes for Microfinance  Institutions  (MFIs)/  (Non-profit  organizations)  NGOs,  and  provision  of concessional finance  to entrepreneurs. Also NITI Aayog monitors the progress of the schemes  through  Output-Outcome  Monitoring  Framework  (OOMF).  The  targets  of NEEDS under OOMF for FY 2025-26 are at Annexure-II .
- (d) Yes.  The  NEED  scheme  was  evaluated  by  Indian  Institute  of  Management, Shillong. The key findings are given as below.
- The  scheme  effectively  targeted  Micro,  Small,  and  Medium  Enterprises  and microfinance projects aligned with state priorities.
- It  successfully  reached  first-generation  entrepreneurs  and  socially  vulnerable groups, including women, SC, ST, OBC, and differently-abled beneficiaries, while promoting entrepreneurship in remote areas.
- A majority of beneficiaries effectively utilized the support provided, channelling it towards their intended projects.
- More  than  95%  of  respondents  reported  satisfaction  with  fund utilization, capacity-building programs, and support services.
- Capacity-building  initiatives  in  financial  literacy,  business  management,  and livelihood skills have strengthened the sustainability of supported enterprises.

Annexure-I

( Rs. in cr )

| State-wise Projects Assisted and Fund Disbursem ent   | 2021-22                        | 2021-22                        | 2022-23                        | 2022-23                        | 2023-24                        | 2023-24                        | 2024-25                        | 2024-25                        | 2025-26 (upto February 2026)   | 2025-26 (upto February 2026)   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| State                                                 | Num ber of Proje cts Assi sted | Fund Disburs ement (Rs. Crore) | Num ber of Proje cts Assi sted | Fund Disburs ement (Rs. Crore) | Num ber of Proje cts Assi sted | Fund Disburs ement (Rs. Crore) | Num ber of Proje cts Assi sted | Fund Disburs ement (Rs. Crore) | Num ber of Proje cts Assi sted | Fund Disburs ement (Rs. Crore) |
| Arunachal Pradesh 53                                  | 6.53                           | 80                             | 12.54                          |                                | 106                            | 13.42                          | 100                            | 9.4                            | 93                             | 11.13                          |
| Assam 159                                             | 24.95                          | 264                            |                                | 38.28                          | 228                            | 36.34                          | 152                            | 57.53                          | 103                            | 50.68                          |
| Manipur 78                                            | 10.11                          | 103                            |                                | 8.69                           | 78                             | 6.58                           | 72                             | 20.21                          | 45                             | 25.13                          |
| Meghalaya 16                                          | 2.43                           | 42                             |                                | 9.91                           | 49                             | 6.8                            | 41                             | 10.74                          | 7                              | 5.38                           |
| Mizoram 119                                           | 8.75                           | 171                            |                                | 17.69                          | 211                            | 21.84                          | 219                            | 25.33                          | 178                            | 19.64                          |
| Nagaland 115                                          | 8.59                           | 132                            |                                | 11.89                          | 126                            | 13.78                          | 131                            | 16.61                          | 76                             | 9.46                           |
| Sikkim 139                                            | 10.32                          | 168                            |                                | 11                             | 131                            | 9.57                           | 170                            | 13.21                          | 122                            | 7.12                           |
| Tripura 173                                           | 10.87                          | 184                            |                                | 19.43                          | 212                            | 17.92                          | 182                            | 15.16                          | 119                            | 10.53                          |
| Total 852                                             | 82.55                          | 1144                           |                                | 129.42                         | 1141                           | 126.25                         | 1067                           | 168.19                         | 743                            | 139.07                         |

## Annexure-II

## OOMF Targets under North East Enterprises Development Scheme (NEEDS) during FY 2025-26:

| Financial Outlay   | Outcomes 2025-26                                 | Outcomes 2025-26                                                         | Outcomes 2025-26   | Outcomes 2025-26                                         | Outcomes 2025-26                      | Outcomes 2025-26   |
|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------|
| 2025-26            | Output                                           | Indicators                                                               | Targets 2025-26    | Outcome                                                  | Indicator s                           | Targets 2025-26    |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.1. No. of MSMEs and MFIs provided loans by NEDFi                       | 400                | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | 1.2 Total number of entrepren         | 8000               |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.2 No. of MSMEs and MFIs provided loans by MDoNER                       | 400                | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | 1.2 Total number of entrepren         | 8000               |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.3 Loans extended to MFIs by NEDFi (in Rs crore)                        | 10.00              | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | 1.2 Total number of entrepren         | 8000               |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.4 Loans extended to MFIs by MDoNER (in Rs crore)                       | 10.00              | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | eurs created in the last ½ years      | 588                |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.5 Loans extended to MSMEs by NEDFi (in Rs crore)                       | 70.00              | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | eurs created in the last ½ years      | 588                |
| 80.00              | 1. Provision of formal credit to MSMEs and MFIs  | 1.6 Loans extended to MSMEs by MDoNER (in Rs crore)                      | 70.00              | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | 1.3 Repayme nt rate (%)               | 95.0%              |
| 80.00              | 2. Handholding support to MFIs and entrepreneurs | 2.1. No. of participants in capacity building events and awareness camps | 610                | 1. Promotion of entrepreneur ship and MSMEs in NE states | 2. No. of Participa nts to be trained | 610                |

*****