GUWAHATI: The NESIDS (North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme), which the Central Government launched in 2017–18, is yet to pick up pace in Assam. The performance of other states in the Northeast in this scheme is no better either.
At the time of the launch of this scheme for the northeastern states, the Central Government had the schedule of completing all projects sanctioned under NESIDS by March 31, 2022. However, the slow progress of the projects compelled the Central Government to extend NESIDS by four years, from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2026.
According to the latest report as of October 31, 2023, of the Ministry of DoNER, Assam has not yet utilized nearly Rs 200 crore of road projects under NESIDS. According to the report, the approved cost for 13 road projects under NESIDS in Assam was Rs 666.69 crore. As of October 31, 2023, the state could spend Rs 466.21 crore. Thus, around Rs 200 crore remains unspent in the state.
The state has completed only five of the 13 road projects under NESIDS. The approved cost and expenditure of the ongoing projects are (i) Rs 58 crore and Rs 23.20 crore respectively of Bhadoi Panch Ali to Joypur Khonsa Road via Tipom, (ii) Rs 34.70 crore and Rs 25.88 crore respectively for the construction of RCC bridge No. 17/1 over river Dhansikri on Udalguri Bhairabkunda road, (iii) Rs 24.89 crore and Rs 22.45 crore respectively for Jagun-Namchik-Miao Road, (iv) Rs 22.73 crore and Rs 9.09 crore respectively for Jamuguri to Nagsankar in the Sonitpur district, (v) Rs 227.17 crore and Rs 180.03 crore respectively for Lanka to Umrangso via Diyungmukh, Haflong Tinali and Panimur, (vi) Rs 79.13 crore and Rs 31.65 crore respectively for Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Road, (vii) Rs 17 crore and Rs 6.69 crore respectively for the Nalbari Palla road at Solmara to Bangaon Jagra road via Billeswar Devalaya, and (viii) Rs 20.60 crore and Rs 10 lakh respectively for the RCC Bridge No. 3/1 (NH-39) Silonijan Dispensary to Dhansiri Par Ghat via Panika Basti.
The projects under NESIDS are 100 percent centrally funded.
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