Major Achievements of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) during the calendar year 2020 are as follows:

Government removed Bamboo from the classification of trees in Indian Forest Act 1927 through Indian Forest (Amendment) Act, 2017 and re-classified it as grass by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.  The decision is a game changer for development of Bamboo in the North Eastern Region as it would facilitate large scale cultivation and processing of bamboo.  

Another major reform relates to increase in import duty on bamboo sticks from 10% to 25%. This decision has paved the way for setting up of new agarbatti stick manufacturing units to meet the ever-growing demand of Agarbatti in India. There has been no import of raw batti since September 2019 and local bamboo produce is being used.

Moreover, in coming months, three Bamboo Clusters will be developed in Jammu, Katra and Samba areas for making of Bamboo basketary, Agarbatti and Bamboo Charcol which will provide direct employment opportunities to about 25,000 people. Apart from this a Mega Bamboo Industrial Park at Ghati near Jammu and Bamboo Technology Training Centre will also come up in the region within two years of the allotment of land by the UT of J&K administration.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, DrJitendra Singh launched a Booklet and its e-version on one year achievements of the Ministry of Department of Development of North Eastern Region, MDoNER here in June,2020.

Dr.Jitendra Singh congratulated the team MDoNER for achieving 100% expenditure during 2019-20 andsaid that there has been a significant development in terms of Road, Rail and Air connectivity, helping facilitate the movement of goods and persons not only across the region but also across the country.

The Minister stated that last one year has seen significant development in Infrastructure, Energy and other Sectors in the North Eastern Region.Under Govt. Policy of earmarking at least 10% of GBS for development of NER, Rs. 53,374 Cr were provided to NE States at RE stage by 55 non-exempt departments. Railways allocated of Rs.4745 Cr in addition to GBS. The allocation under 10% GBS has been rising sharply reflecting the focus of Hon’ble PM on North East.

Some of the major projects which have been approved, started or completed in the last one year in the NER and significant achievements of the Ministry of DoNER are mentioned below:

Sanction of major new works include (i)Doubling of New Bongaigaon to Aghri section via Rangia (142 km) at a cost of Rs.2042.51 Cr.; (ii) Bridges on Brahmaputra at SaraighatandTezpurSilghat at estimated cost of Rs.888 Cr & Rs.3512 Cr respectively; (iii) electrification of entire 2352 km long BG railway network of NER at an estimated cost of Rs.2293 Cr.

Fighting COVID-19 Apart from release of Rs.7923.78 Cr by Ministry of Finance and Rs.235.59 Cr by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rs. 25 croresof untied funds have been provided by MDoNER/NEC. MDoNER has also sanctioned projects worth Rs.152.18 Cr under NESIDSfor Strengthening Health Infrastructure in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Two quarantine facilities viz. CBTC Hostel Block, Burnihat, Guwahati, Assam and NEC House, New Delhi have been identified. It was also decided that in the wake of COVID pandemic, the Ministry of North East (DoNER) would sanction Rs.190 crores for augmentation of healthcare facility in the eight North Eastern States, particularly for developing infrastructure for management of infectious diseases.

NERLP and NERCORMP livelihood schemes of MDoNER, cover 6 States, 15 districts of NER has created livelihood for 4,12,644 households of the region. Under these schemes 36561 SHGs, 1506 SHG federations, 1599 Community Development Groups, 2899 Natural Resource Management Groups (NaRMG) and 286 NaMRG Associations have been created.

For promotion of MSME & Micro Finance Sectors in the North Eastern Region, NEDFi has disbursed an amount of Rs.47.02 crore against a target of Rs 30 Cr as provided in MOU with Ministry during June 2019 to May 2020. It has also provided mentoring services through BFCs to total 539 entrepreneurs and facilitated credit link for 77 entrepreneurs.

Budgetary allocation saw a hike of over 14% from Rs. 2670 Crore last year to Rs. 3049 Crore in 2020-21.

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh said that in case of Ministry of DoNER, the budgetary allocation for 2020-21 is Rs. 3049 Cr as against Rs. 2670 Cr in the RE 2019-20 (increase of 14.2%). Out of this, the provision for development of infrastructure is around Rs.2900 Cr. Compared to AE 2014-15 of Rs. 1719 Cr, the budget allocation of Ministry of DoNER in 2020-21 is higher by 77.26%. In case of schemes being implemented by North Eastern Council (NEC), the current year’s budgetary allocation is Rs.1474 Cr, an increase of 19.23 % over RE 2019-20 allocation of Rs.1237 Cr.Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that the Budget for North East Council just doubled from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1474 crore in the last five years.

In March, 2020, it was proposed to set up a special dedicated desk of Invest India for North Eastern Region. The desk will take up investment targeting, promotion, facilitation and website development for North Eastern States.

The facilities that are proposed be extended to the NER are: –

All the above activities will be done in close coordination with the State Governments.

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SNC

Major Achievements of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) during the calendar year 2020 are as follows:

Government removed Bamboo from the classification of trees in Indian Forest Act 1927 through Indian Forest (Amendment) Act, 2017 and re-classified it as grass by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.  The decision is a game changer for development of Bamboo in the North Eastern Region as it would facilitate large scale cultivation and processing of bamboo.  

Another major reform relates to increase in import duty on bamboo sticks from 10% to 25%. This decision has paved the way for setting up of new agarbatti stick manufacturing units to meet the ever-growing demand of Agarbatti in India. There has been no import of raw batti since September 2019 and local bamboo produce is being used.

Moreover, in coming months, three Bamboo Clusters will be developed in Jammu, Katra and Samba areas for making of Bamboo basketary, Agarbatti and Bamboo Charcol which will provide direct employment opportunities to about 25,000 people. Apart from this a Mega Bamboo Industrial Park at Ghati near Jammu and Bamboo Technology Training Centre will also come up in the region within two years of the allotment of land by the UT of J&K administration.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, DrJitendra Singh launched a Booklet and its e-version on one year achievements of the Ministry of Department of Development of North Eastern Region, MDoNER here in June,2020.

Dr.Jitendra Singh congratulated the team MDoNER for achieving 100% expenditure during 2019-20 andsaid that there has been a significant development in terms of Road, Rail and Air connectivity, helping facilitate the movement of goods and persons not only across the region but also across the country.

The Minister stated that last one year has seen significant development in Infrastructure, Energy and other Sectors in the North Eastern Region.Under Govt. Policy of earmarking at least 10% of GBS for development of NER, Rs. 53,374 Cr were provided to NE States at RE stage by 55 non-exempt departments. Railways allocated of Rs.4745 Cr in addition to GBS. The allocation under 10% GBS has been rising sharply reflecting the focus of Hon’ble PM on North East.

Some of the major projects which have been approved, started or completed in the last one year in the NER and significant achievements of the Ministry of DoNER are mentioned below:

Sanction of major new works include (i)Doubling of New Bongaigaon to Aghri section via Rangia (142 km) at a cost of Rs.2042.51 Cr.; (ii) Bridges on Brahmaputra at SaraighatandTezpurSilghat at estimated cost of Rs.888 Cr & Rs.3512 Cr respectively; (iii) electrification of entire 2352 km long BG railway network of NER at an estimated cost of Rs.2293 Cr.

Fighting COVID-19 Apart from release of Rs.7923.78 Cr by Ministry of Finance and Rs.235.59 Cr by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rs. 25 croresof untied funds have been provided by MDoNER/NEC. MDoNER has also sanctioned projects worth Rs.152.18 Cr under NESIDSfor Strengthening Health Infrastructure in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Two quarantine facilities viz. CBTC Hostel Block, Burnihat, Guwahati, Assam and NEC House, New Delhi have been identified. It was also decided that in the wake of COVID pandemic, the Ministry of North East (DoNER) would sanction Rs.190 crores for augmentation of healthcare facility in the eight North Eastern States, particularly for developing infrastructure for management of infectious diseases.

NERLP and NERCORMP livelihood schemes of MDoNER, cover 6 States, 15 districts of NER has created livelihood for 4,12,644 households of the region. Under these schemes 36561 SHGs, 1506 SHG federations, 1599 Community Development Groups, 2899 Natural Resource Management Groups (NaRMG) and 286 NaMRG Associations have been created.

For promotion of MSME & Micro Finance Sectors in the North Eastern Region, NEDFi has disbursed an amount of Rs.47.02 crore against a target of Rs 30 Cr as provided in MOU with Ministry during June 2019 to May 2020. It has also provided mentoring services through BFCs to total 539 entrepreneurs and facilitated credit link for 77 entrepreneurs.

Budgetary allocation saw a hike of over 14% from Rs. 2670 Crore last year to Rs. 3049 Crore in 2020-21.

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh said that in case of Ministry of DoNER, the budgetary allocation for 2020-21 is Rs. 3049 Cr as against Rs. 2670 Cr in the RE 2019-20 (increase of 14.2%). Out of this, the provision for development of infrastructure is around Rs.2900 Cr. Compared to AE 2014-15 of Rs. 1719 Cr, the budget allocation of Ministry of DoNER in 2020-21 is higher by 77.26%. In case of schemes being implemented by North Eastern Council (NEC), the current year’s budgetary allocation is Rs.1474 Cr, an increase of 19.23 % over RE 2019-20 allocation of Rs.1237 Cr.Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that the Budget for North East Council just doubled from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1474 crore in the last five years.

In March, 2020, it was proposed to set up a special dedicated desk of Invest India for North Eastern Region. The desk will take up investment targeting, promotion, facilitation and website development for North Eastern States.

The facilities that are proposed be extended to the NER are: –

All the above activities will be done in close coordination with the State Governments.

<><><><>

SNC