Adequate Proposals not Forthcoming for Infrastructural Development in the State

NESIDS PROJECTS

* Only one project sanctioned; 4 under consideration

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: There is a likelihood that Assam may lose a golden opportunity offered by the central government to bring about infrastructural development in the State owing to the absolutely slow responses from the various government departments. Under the newly launched North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), 100 per cent funding is given by the Centre to enable the NE States to go for massive infrastructures development within 2020. The funding is being charted through the DONER Ministry.

As such, the Transformation and Development Department, the nodal department of the State for NESIDS fails to submit the requisite proposals at the earliest, Assam stands to lose a significant portion of its share of Rs 416 crore. Sources informed the nodal department has not yet received adequate responses from the departments concerned despite repeated pleas to submit project proposals under the NESIDS.

The DONER proposal specifically mentions: “Funds under the NESIDS scheme will be provided by the Ministry only up to March 2020 and accordingly State Government may complete the project during this period failing which the State Government will have to complete the project from their own resources.” The DONER Ministry has allocated Rs 1,600 crore for the entire North East under the NESIDS with Assam having the lion’s share of Rs 416 crore. Each project must be valued at more than Rs 20 crore.

Assam has so far submitted proposals for nine projects to the DONER Ministry. However, only one project has been sanctioned. Four others are under consideration while four others have been rejected. The total amount for the lone project in Jorhat that has been accepted along with the four others under consideration is Rs 223 crore. The Jorhat project pertains to the construction of a three-lane flyover amounting to Rs 77 crore. Its foundation stone has already been laid. Therefore, the pending amount of Assam’s share of Rs 416 crore is Rs 193 crore.

The four projects under consideration are: water supply project in Tinsukia town (Phase-III) costing Rs 28.74 crore; construction of RCC bridge over river Aie at Aie Powali costing Rs 69.74 crore; improvement/special infrastructure development of JSB Civil Hospital in Chirang district costing Rs 25 crore; and infrastructure development of greater Kheroni piped water supply scheme costing Rs 22.57 crore. The department will now have to submit the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the four schemes that are under consideration of the DONER Ministry.