NORTH EASTERN REGION VISION 2020
26, Jul 2019
Prelims level : Governance- Policies, Schemes; Economics- Infrastructure
Mains level : GS-II- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
GS-III- Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
GS-III- Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
Why in News?
- North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document provides an overarching framework for the development of the North Eastern Region.
- The main objective is to bring the north eastern region at par with other developed regions under which different Ministries, including the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region have undertaken various initiatives.
Reasons for resource flow:
- Mandatory earmarking of at least 10% of GBS of Central Ministries/Departments for North Eastern Region (NER).
- Creation of Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR).
- There has been a sharp rise in provisional expenditure (subject to final vetting by Ministry of Finance) by Central Ministries in NER by 83%.
Major initiatives:
- Strengthening infrastructure and connectivity is a major thrust area identified by the Vision document. Several connectivity initiatives have been undertaken in the recent past.
- In the last five years under the schemes of Ministry of DoNER funds were released for road projects, bridges, ISBT, airports, railway in North Eastern Region.
- Moreover, Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) has been launched to provide connectivity to unserved and underserved Airports within the country.
- Also, to promote regional connectivity, airfare has been made affordable through Viability Gap Funding (VGF). The North East has been kept as a priority area under RCS-UDAN.
- In respect of Rail Connectivity, during the last four years the entire North East Region has been converted to the Broad Gauge (BG) network.
Other major initiatives taken:
- Promotion of MSMEs in North Eastern Region and Sikkim
- Comprehensive Telecom Development Project (CTDP) for the North-Eastern Region
- Comprehensive Scheme for strengthening of Transmission and Distribution Systems (CSST&DS).
- North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP)
- Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region scheme
- North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS).
- National Sports University at Imphal, Agartala-Akhaura Rail-Link to connect the existing Agartala station in Tripura to Akhaura Station of Bangladesh Railways
- Development of Brahmaputra and 19 new waterways including Barak.