Akhaura-Agartala New Rail Line Project inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and PM of Bangladesh Smt. Sheikh Hasina

  • Cabinet approved continuation of the “Schemes of NEC, NESIDS with two Components viz. NESIDS-Road and NESIDS-Other Than Road Infrastructure and PM-DevINE”; new revised guidelines for all three issued
  • Ministry launched Data Analytics Dashboard; data of 112 schemes across 55 Departments and Ministries available on this dashboard
  • North East Venture Fund (NEVF) developed a dynamic startup ecosystem in the region and extended investment support to 67 startups
  • DoNER in collaboration with AMTRON launched 5G applications for NER States; it focuses on healthcare, agriculture, edge computing and 5G labs
  • Entrepreneurial landscape in the North Eastern Region (NER) undergone a transformative surge, with 4500+ registered startups and 25 active incubators
  • DoNER in collaboration with the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited organized “The North East Bankers’ Conclave 2023”

Achievements of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Regionin the year 2023 are- 

  1. Issuance of revised guidelines for Schemes of MDoNER/NEC

The Ministry has streamlined its schemes to bring in latest technologies and best practices and has issued detailed harmonized guidelines with timeline based approval process.

Continuation of the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) with an approved outlay of ₹8139.50 crore for the period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 was approved by the Cabinet, with two components viz. NESIDS-Road and NESIDS-Other Than Road Infrastructure (OTRI).  The scheme is a central sector scheme with 100% central funding. The decisions of the Government including merger of the erstwhile North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) into NESIDS-Road component etc. necessitated formulation of fresh guidelines to administer and implement the restructured NESIDS during the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission.  Accordingly, the newly-formulated separate Guidelines to administer and implement both the components of the NESIDS have been issued on 21.08.2023 after having extensive consultations with the stake holders and detailed discussions internally.  

The Union Cabinet had approved continuation of the ‘Schemes of NEC’ for the period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 with a total outlay of ₹3202.7 crore. The fresh guidelines for the “Schemes of NEC” has been issued on 21.08.2023 after having detailed discussion and consultations.

The revised guidelines on Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East PM-DevINE issued on 21.08.2023 is effective from 12.10.2022 and these guidelines govern all PM-DevINE projects. Actions under previous guidelines (29.08.2022) also subject to the new guidelines from 12.10.2022, pending Competent Authority’s approval for resolving any issues.”

  1.  Achievements under Schemes of MDoNER / NEC

(i)   Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (PM-DevINE) 

Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), was announced as a new Central Sector scheme, with 100% Central funding, in the Union Budget 2022-23 and was approved by the Union Cabinet on 12 October, 2022 with a total outlay of ₹6,600 crore for the 4-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of the 15th Finance Commission period).  Detailed guidelines for PM DeVINE scheme were issued on 21st August 2023.

The objectives of PM-DevINE scheme are to: (i) fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti; (ii) support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER; (iii) enable livelihood activities for youth and women; and (iv) fill the development gaps in various sectors.

Till 26.12.2023, nine (9) projects worth ₹855.85 crore have been sanctioned and 14 projects worth ₹3138.68 crore have been recommended for sanction. In addition, 12 projects worth ₹983.05 crore have been recommended in principle (selected) under PM-DevINE.

(ii)  North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme(Roads)  -NESIDS (Roads)  

The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) was approved during 2017-18 and was implemented till 31.03.2022. During the process of extension of the NESIDS w.e.f. 01.04.2022, the erstwhile NESIDS has been restructured into following two components viz. NESIDS (Roads) & NESIDS (Other than Road Infrastructure). 

NESIDS (Roads) 

This component subsumes the project sanctioned (but not yet completed) under its predecessor following schemes:

     (i) North East Road Sector Development Schemes  (NERSDS)

     (ii) Road/ Bridges projects of NESIDS.

The scheme aims for providing specific gap-funding in construction of roads (that are not getting covered under any other Ministry/Department  of Government  like MoRTH, DoRD, BRO, etc. but are necessary to (a) provide access to remote locations,  (b) to provide access to markets and (c) from a security point of view.

Till now10 projects worth ₹552.63 crore have been sanctioned and 3 projects worth ₹182.54 crore have been selected for sanction In addition, 21 projects worth ₹1452.87 crore have been recommended for selection under NESIDS (Roads).

(iii)            North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (Other than Roads Infrastructure)-NESIDS (OTRI) 

NESIDS (OTRI) component subsumes the projects sanctioned (but not yet     completed) under its predecessor following schemes:

(i) Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR)

(ii) North East Special Infrastructure Development Schemes (NESIDS)

(iii) Hill Area Development Programme (HADP)

Under NESIDS (OTRI), total projects sanctioned are 1548 worth ₹18488.94 crore, out of which 1098 projects worth ₹11250.83 crore are completed and 450 projects worth ₹7238.04 crore are ongoing. 

(iv)             Schemes of NEC 

A Central Sector scheme named “Schemes of North Eastern Council (NEC), fully funded by the Government of India, was under implementation since 10th Finance Commission period and was continued till 31.03.2022 to fill up gaps in overall development of the Region. Schemes of NEC (2022-26) continued unaltered with critical gap interventions in multiple sectors for speedy and holistic development of NER.

 The extension of the Scheme w.e.f. 01.04.2022 till 31.03.2026 was approved to be implemented during the 15th Finance Commission (2022-23 to 2025-26) with no major change in the scope/coverage.  The Scheme will cover all the eight states of the North Eastern Region.  Detailed guidelines for Schemes of NEC were issued on 21st August 2023.

₹1778.76 crore was available for new sanction.  Till now,195 projects worth ₹857.34 crore have been sanctioned under Schemes of NEC.

 (v)  Special Development Packages:  

Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC)

Under the old package ₹750.00 crore had been allotted. 65 projects of worth ₹ 749.64 crore  have been sanctioned, 54 projects worth ₹ 589.11 crore are completed and 11 projects  worth ₹ 160.53 crore are ongoing.

Under Memorandum of Settlement with Ministry of Home Affairs,  a sum of ₹750 crore (₹ 250 crore for three years) has been allocated. 01 project worth ₹14.83 crore has been approved for sanction, and 4 projects worth ₹ 273.72 crore have been in-principle approved.

Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC)

Under the old KAATC package, ₹350.00 crore was earmarked. 26 projects  worth ₹251.48 crore  have been sanctioned, 4 projects of worth ₹13.14 crore are completed and 22 projects worth ₹238.34 crore are ongoing. Also 06 other projects costing ₹95.92 crore have been in-principle approved under this package.

Under new KAATC package a sum  of ₹500 crore (₹100 crore per annum for 5 years) have been allocated for the development of infrastructure in KAATC area. 3 projects  worth ₹296.02 crore have been in-principle approved. 

Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council (DHATC)

Under the old DHATC package of ₹200 crore 12 projects of worth ₹174.82 crore  were sanctioned and 3 projects worth ₹ 25 crore have been retained.

Out of which 2 projects of worth ₹19.87 crore are completed, and 13 projects of worth ₹179.94 crore are ongoing. 

  1.  Expenditure under 10% Gross Budgetary Support for NE Region

 As per the extant policy of the Government, all non-exempted Central Ministries / Departments (currently 54) are mandated to spend at least 10% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes for North Eastern Region (NER).

Over the years, a consistency has been attained in mobilizing developmental expenditure by the Central Ministries / Departments for the Region as shown in Annexure-A.

Regular quarterly review meetings at the level of Hon’ble Minister / Secretary, MDoNER  are being held to ensure that all Ministries spend the mandatory 10% of their GBS in the North Eastern Region.  Meeting with the Ministries/Departments   which  are not able to spend as per their target are being held separately in order to expedite the implementation of the projects and also the expenditures.   

  1. MDoNER Data Analytics Dashboard

The Ministry  has launched  Data Analytics Dashboard on 12.10.2023  which  has the data of 112 schemes across 55 Departments and Ministries. This Dashboard will help MDoNER in (a) Data driven decision making; (b) Ease of operations; (c) Centralized monitoring; (d) Policy level decision tool; and  (e) Information integration. The Ministry will be able to keep a close watch on NER Aspirational districts, North East border districts and the most backward districts in NER. Creating a benchmark for key performance indicators of schemes in NER, the Dashboard will be equipped with the latest innovations in e-governance and display information across multiple departments and Ministries on a single platform.

   

  1. Inauguration of Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link Project

The ambitious Akhaura Agartala New Rail Line Project has been inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh Smt. Sheikh Hasina on 01/11/2023. The Project is funded by Government of India under Aid Grant to Bangladesh on Bangladesh side and Ministry of DoNER on Indian side. An important objective for the Project is that Maitree Express that is running between Kolkata to Dhaka could be extended upto Agartala, reducing the time for travel from 38 hours to  16 hours. The total route length of work is 12.24 km and the total Project cost for both side is ₹1273 Cr. This Project is a symbol of strong bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh and will significantly improve the regional connectivity.

 

 

  1. Focus on NER- Fortnightly Visit of Hon’ble Union Ministers to NE States

In order to accelerate the pace of development in North Eastern Region and to maximize the efficacy of the projects/schemes being implemented by the Government in the region, it was decided that each North Eastern State will be visited by a Union Minister in every 15 days. MDoNER anchors and coordinates these visits by nominating Union Ministers for visiting NE States by rotation every month, since 2015.  In 2023, 74 Union Ministers have visited NER for more than 148 times till November, 2023. These visits are helping in mapping the aspirations and sentiments of the local population and effective implementation of the projects/schemes of Government in NER.

For streamlining  and enhancing  monitoring of these visits MDoNER launched     “Poorvottar Sampark Setu”  portal,  which provides valuable insights and graphical information about State-wise/ District-wise visits of Hon’ble Union Ministers in NER,  to be used by all the stake holders in one place and  generates the summary report on the visits by a single click.

  1.  5G Use Cases

On the front of cutting edge technology, MDoNER has been instrumental in launching 5G applications in NER States in collaboration with AMTRON, with hub at Guwahati. The project is focused on healthcare, agriculture, edge computing and 5G labs. All the applications are based on Industry 4.0 employing AI, IOT, cloud, internet and made available to the citizens through hand-held smart phones. 5G training labs have already been commissioned in a number of NER States. The 5G health use cases include applications like mobile / cloud based ECG solution, AI based cataract analysis using smart phones, AI based medical image analysis over cloud for better clinical decision making, AI technology for respiratory health through audiometric analysis of cough sounds, imaging device combining AI to detect and classify bacteria on wounds, diabetic retinopathy, locomotor challenge, IoT based assessment, etc.

 

  1. Improved Startup Ecosystem 

MDoNER and North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) collaborated to establish the North East Venture Fund (NEVF), marking a significant milestone as the first dedicated venture fund for the North East Region, endowed with a corpus of ₹100 crore.  Since its inception in April 2017, NEVF has played a pivotal role in developing a dynamic startup ecosystem in the region and has extended investment support to 67 startups amounting to ₹98.17 crore. Its noteworthy achievements encompass several NEVF-funded startups surpassing ₹100 crore in valuation, generating 10,000 + direct and indirect employment opportunities in the North East.  Building on the success of NEVF, NEDFi has facilitated the creation of state-specific venture funds, with commitment for contributions towards the proposed corpus of each fund and fund management. This initiative has led to the establishment of funds such as “Manipur Startup Venture Fund” a ₹30 crore initiative for startups in Manipur in collaboration with the Government of Manipur, and “NRL Ideation Angel Fund”, boasting a corpus of ₹40 crore in association with Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, a subsidiary of Oil India Ltd. Similar initiatives is underway in collaboration with the Governments of Assam, Tripura, Sikkim and other states from NER. Further, NEDFi has given in principal commitment of ₹25 crore to Government of Assam for their venture fund and also intends to contribute ₹15 crore in Government of Tripura fund.

The entrepreneurial landscape in the North Eastern Region (NER) has undergone a transformative surge, with 4500+ registered startups and 25 active incubators. This growth is backed by forward-thinking startup policies from respective State Governments of the region to incentivize startups to operate in the region. As per Startup Ranking 2021, State of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been ranked as Leader. State of Meghalaya has ranked Best Performer. State of Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura are ranked Aspiring Leader and State of Mizoram as Emerging Startup Ecosystem. Stakeholders offering grants, incubation, mentoring, and investments facilities have played a vital role in fostering a surge of startups with unique offerings. With an infusion of funds, these startups are poised for sustainability and significant contributions to the regional economy.  Recognizing the essential role of funding, including grants and investments, this collective approach aims to accelerate the ecosystem’s growth, with the ultimate vision of creating and nurturing over 10,000+ startups in the North Eastern Region by 2047.

  1. The North East Bankers’ Conclave 2023 

MDoNER in collaboration with the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) organized “The North East Bankers’ Conclave 2023” on 28.4.2023.

The conclave marked first of its kind leadership event, bringing together various stake holders from the banking and finance sector, policy makers, and regulators to brainstorm the challenges faced by the banking sector in North-East India and to deliberate and come up with some immediate and long-term actionable strategies to address issues at various levels, from the policy planning and up to the grass-roots level of implementation, thereby promoting equality and economic growth in the region.

The four specifically themed panel discussions on credit flow to Agri & Allied Sector, MSMEs & Startups, Implementation of Central Schemes by Banks, and Issues in Banking in the North East minutely assessed the performance, prospects, and challenges faced by the banking and financial services industry in the North Eastern Region.

During the discussions Stakeholders highlighted that the government in collaboration with the banking fraternity will focus on developing a strong banking infrastructure, enhancing financial literacy, and creating a digital ecosystem in NER, for improving financial inclusion. Proactive collaboration of all stakeholders – Policy makers, Bankers, Regulators, Industry experts, entrepreneurs, and the wider business community – was emphasized for implementing the transformational strategies.

  1. Task Force for development of Tourism in North Eastern Region

In pursuance of decisions taken in the meeting of the Consultative Committee for Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) in September, 2022, the constitution of a Task Force for the development of Tourism in North Eastern Region, was proposed. Accordingly, a Task Force has been constituted on 20th October, 2023 under the oversight of MDoNER with representatives from concerned Ministries, State Governments and other stakeholders.

The Task Force shall build strategies along with an action plan for the comprehensive and sustainable development of tourism in the NER through engagements with stakeholders including those in the private space. It shall study national and global best practices including digital technologies and recommend their adoption in the NER. Its recommendations shall be in convergence and gap filling mode to support sustainable development of tourism.

  1. Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Agriculture

Following a joint review of the agriculture sector in the North East Region (NER) by Hon’ble Minister of DoNER and Hon’ble Minister of A&FW, a Task Force on Agriculture was constituted to steer the growth of the sector in NER. Task force has given its recommendations.

It was agreed that MoA&FW would work on implementation of Project on bamboo, have special provisions for enhanced outlays for NER under RKVY, capacity building and institutional strengthening, promotion of agarwood, expanded scope of MOVCD-NER to allow for a non-organic component.   MDoNER  is in consultation with all stakeholders for implementation of these recommendations.

  1. Northeast Investment Promotion

The Ministry is organizing investment promotion activities to showcase the region’s investment and trade potential. The focus sectors identified for the purpose are agriculture & allied sectors, handicrafts & handlooms, tourism & hospitality, IT&ITeS, sports & entertainment, education & skill development and healthcare.

 

State level consultations were held comprising workshops on investment readiness of states and interactions with potential investors, local entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. An Ambassadors’ Meet, chaired by Hon’ble Minister of DoNER, with over 20 countries was held on 24th May 2023. A roundtable with foreign Chambers of Commerce with 12 chamber/associations and 02 embassies was also held on 20th April 2023.

Roadshows have so far been held in Mumbai on 29th May and Hyderabad on 3rd June. The roadshows comprised structured B2B and B2G meetings, pitch presentations by States and panel discussions focusing on the investment opportunities.

The Mumbai roadshow was attended by 250+ potential investors and 200+ B2G meetings were facilitated. The Hyderabad roadshow too was attended by 250+ potential investors and 140+ B2G meetings were held. 400 expressions of interest have been received through Letters of Intent or MOU. The tentative investment so far is Rs. 66,090 crore across sectors.  

  1. Signing of MoUs 

 On 22nd  August, 2023, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and UNDP  entered into an MoU wherein UNDP would provide MDoNER with technical support on fast-tracking progress on the SDGs; monitoring, evaluation and capacity building; support Aspirational districts and blocks; support in the deployment of emerging technologies in governance and in scaling up good practices. This MoU will help in rapid implementation of SDGs in the NER and ensure effective monitoring of projects.

  • Also on 04.10.2023, North Eastern Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation Ltd. (NEHHDC), MDoNER and Department of Heritage & Tourism, Government of Haryana signed a MoU for bilateral, cross-cultural exchange & promotion of handicrafts, handlooms, textiles, crafts, culture and cuisine of the state of Haryana and North East India,  under which  NEHHDC will be allowed  to participate as the Theme State in the annual ‘Surajkund Mela’ for the next 5 years. NEHHDC will coordinate / liaise with relevant departments/event organizers / agencies on behalf of the Department of Heritage & Tourism, Government of Haryana to provide it multiple platforms for participation in major festivals in the north east.
  1. Advancing North East Portal

The “Advancing North East” is a digital platform and web-based initiative developed by NEC through North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) which provides much needed knowledge and guidance for the youth of NER. The portal was inaugurated by Hon’ble President on 4th May 2022 during valedictory function of ‘North East Festival’ held in Guwahati as a part of ‘AzadiKaAmritMahotsav(AKAM)’. This endeavour stems from the vision shared by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in his august address in the 65th Plenary Session of North Eastern Council in May, 2016. The content of the portal is mainly segregated in three categories, viz. education, employment and entrepreneurship.

  1. Facilitating Trade with NER

The North Eastern Council(NEC)has taken a significant step to enhance foreign trade in the North Eastern Region (NER) by constituting an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) under the Chairmanship of Secretary, NEC with members from different Ministries including MEA, MoCA, Railways, AAI, MSME etc. The primary objective of the IMG is to identify and mitigate bottlenecks that hinder foreign trade in the NER. Additionally, it is tasked with addressing issues related to the production, value addition, and challenges at the border. Some of the Ministries have reported on the actions taken to fulfill their respective KPIs, reflecting a commitment to addressing challenges and promoting positive developments in foreign trade within the region.

MDoNER has also held meetings with Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, DPIIT, Land Ports Authority of India and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to discuss issues and bottlenecks hindering the trade and transshipment through Bangladesh  aiming for a substantial increase in trade and transit between the Northeast States and the rest of the country through Bangladesh.

  1. Design Labs for Livelihood Generation

The project titled “Digital Design Labs for Livelihood Generation” was sanctioned by NEC in the FY 2022-23 at a total cost of ₹ 4.99 Crore. The primary objective of the project is to train local youth in the identified areas to acquire the required Digital Skills to get gainful employment in the knowledge economy/digital economy. Digital Design Labs have been set up in Mao, Manipur and Shillong, Meghalaya.

 

  1. Achievements of North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi)
  • NEDFi plays an important role in facilitating setting up of new industrial and service sector projects in the NE Region. The Corporation assisted 5338 projects, with total sanctions & disbursements of₹766.47 crore and ₹547.11 crore respectively, in diverse sectors – education & training food processing, handlooms & handicrafts, healthcare, hotels & tourism, microfinance etc. from 1st January, 2023 to 30th November, 2023.
State-wise sanctions & disbursements during the period 01.01.2023 to 30.11.2023

(₹ in crore)

Particulars Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim Tripura Total
Sanction 14.37 500.05 46.75 95.34 43.65 24.88 19.52 21.92 766.47
Disbursement 14.46 353.25 29.33 55.69 31.07 18.69 20.25 24.38 547.11
  • For development of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) sector, the Corporation has taken initiative to identify and nurture potential first generation local entrepreneurs and provide finance on easy terms to help them set up viable industrial projects. The credit schemes of the Corporation under micro & small enterprises sector are extended at concessional rate of interest. Besides, NEDFi undertakes initiatives/ activities towards promotion and development of MSME and Microfinance sectors in the region.
Eco Heritage Villa is a homestay guest house located at Imphal, Manipur. NEDFi sanctioned ₹10.00 lakh under North East Entrepreneurs Development Scheme (NEEDS) for its expansion. Shalom Bible House is a gospel store located at Kohima, Nagaland. NEDFi sanctioned ₹5.00 lakh under Women Enterprise Development Scheme (WEDS) for its expansion.
  • To assist the grass-root small borrowers in unserved and underserved areas of the Region – “NEDFi Micro Finance Scheme” for wholesale micro-credit to Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) for on-lending to low-income individuals ; and “NEDFi Micro-Lending Scheme” to provide financial assistance directly to Micro Entrepreneurs, through Business Correspondents – were launched, for income generating activities in farm and non-farm sectors. During the period referred, the financial assistance of ₹40.84 crore and ₹1031.49 crore cumulatively was extended under the NMFS; while assistance of ₹52.60 crore was extended to 4265 borrowers under the NMLS. These have enabled improved economic status for more than nine lakh beneficiaries, more than 90% of whom are women.
Ms.

Waikhom Radharani Devi, from Thoubal district, Manipur, availed micro credit loan from YVU Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. (an assisted MFI of NEDFi) for running her cloth-selling venture.

Ms. Khushbu Pradhan, from Namchi, South Sikkim, availed micro credit loan from UNACCO Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. (an assisted MFI of NEDFi) for running her grocery shop. 
  • NEDFi in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) has set up the North East Venture Fund (NEVF), a dedicated venture capital fund, to encourage start-up ventures in the Region. The capital commitment to the fund is ₹100 crore (MDoNER ₹45.00 crore, NEDFi ₹30.00 crore & SIDBI ₹25.00 crore). The fund generated a lot of enthusiasm among the start-ups from the region. As on 30 November 2023, a total of 67 projects were given investment commitments of ₹98.18 crore.
Zerund Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, located in Azara, Guwahati, is a plastic embedded lightweight brick manufacturing and sales company.

My3dMeta Private Limited designs, creates, delivers, and markets all visually appealing products.

Green Biotech Eco-Solutions Private Limited, located at Imphal, Manipur, is the 1st biofertilizer, biopesticides, probiotics for livestock and aquaculture inputs research-based farming input biotech manufacturer and marketing enterprise.
  1. Achievements of North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC)

Ø  Establishing Ashtlaxmi Haat & Experience Centre at Guwahati with a project cost of ₹ 7.6 crore. The Haat will have 24 permanent stalls which will provide a market access to artisans of all Northeast states & will also have an artisan residency to provide accommodation to artisans from out station.

 Ø  Setting up an ERI silk spinning plant at Integrated Textile Park, Mushalpur, Baksa (Assam) with a Project cost ₹14.92 crore. It is envisioned to provide direct employment to 375 individuals and provide indirect livelihood to Approx. 25003 households. The plant once commissioned will have a production capacity of 450 Kgs of Eri Silk Yarn per day.

Ø  Providing market development by way of digitalization, authentication and traceability covering 10,000 weavers across 7 states (less Sikkim) in NER with a project cost ₹14.92 crore. It is estimated that through this intervention there will be an increase in the income of weavers by 20-30 % in the next 2-3 years. As a part of the project implementation more than 10,000 active looms weavers have been identified and registered from 08 NE states except Sikkim.

Ø  Livelihood Business Incubators (LBI), the Corporation has received sanction for the establishment of Jewellery and Handicraft Incubation Centre in NEHHDC under the ASPIRE Scheme of Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India with a budget out lay of ₹1.9 crore.

  1. Achievements of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd.(NERAMAC)

Ø Procurement of Agri-horti Produce: Procurement of more than 140 MT of produces like Pineapple, Avocado, Black Rice, Cashew nut, Large Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Black Pepperetc. under its umbrella brand ‘NE Fresh’. Provided market linkages for fresh pineapple and vegetables.  

Ø NERAMAC has product basket of 130+ products in the retail segment.

  • 30 nos. of local entrepreneurs/MSMEs associated with NERAMAC for branding and marketing of their processed products.
  • Retails products marketed through 12 stalls/retails outlets of NERAMAC covering 7 cities/towns. Including 2, One Station One Product (OSOP) stalls at Kamakhaya and Dimapur Railway stations.
  • Launched Brand ‘NERAMAC Premium’ for marketing of G.I. tagged products. 

Ø Formation and Promotion of FPOs in NER under ‘Formation and Promotion of 10000 FPOs under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India. 205 FPOs has been formed across NER covering 15,500 farmers.  

Ø Bamboo Plantation Project of State Bamboo Development Agency (SBDA), Govt. of Assam: 900 hq of plantation in the three districts of Assam completed, which covered 3.30 lakh saplings and 750 farmers beneficiaries. 

Ø G.I. Registration of Agri-Horti produces of North East Region: During the year, NERAMAC has facilitated the User Authorization registration of 1308 farmers of NER for all 13 G.I. registered Agri-Horti products.

Ø During the year NERAMAC participated/organized 17 events, covered around 2000 farmers/entrepreneurs. 

Ø During the year, Cashew Processing Plant (CPP) of NERAMAC at Agartala revived and started functioning with the fund support from NEC and Integrated Ginger Processing Plant (IGPP) at Byrnihat, Meghalaya revived under PPP mode.

  1. Achievement of North East Cane And Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC)

Ø  Capacity building, skill up gradation and trainings are the main activity of NECBDC. During the   period NECBDC conducted no.21 nous of training /skilled development training programme and   has been trained more than 463 nos. of persons in cane and bamboo.

 Ø  The Bamboo Based Craft Concentration Centre at Sovima Village, Dimapur, Nagaland funded by North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of DoNER, Government of India (Project Cost ₹448.46 Lakh) was completed and inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio on 22nd November 2023 in the presence of many dignitaries. The Centre will focus on traditional and modern Handloom and Handicrafts of Nagaland for domestic and international market.

Bamboo Based Craft Concentration Centre at Sovima Village, Dimapur, Nagaland

Ø Distributed 115 nos of occupational Health Safety Kit to artisans of NECBDC Clusters of Assam and Manipur.

 Annexure A 

Table 1: Budget Estimate (BE), Revised Estimate (RE) and
Actual Expenditure under 10% GBS

( ₹ in crore)YearBudget EstimateRevised
EstimateActual
ExpenditureActual Expenditure as % of RE2014-1536,107.5627,359.1724,819.1890.722015-1629,087.9329,669.2228,673.7396.642016-1729,124.7932,180.0829,367.991.262017-1843,244.6440,971.6939,753.4497.032018-1947,994.8847,087.9546,054.8097.812019-2059,369.9053,374.1948,533.8090.932020-2160,112.1151,270.9048,563.8294.722021-2268,020.2468,440.2670,874.32103.562022-2376,040.0772,540.2882,690.87113.99Total
4,22,893.744,19,331.8699.152023-2494679.53-
Source: Statement 11/23 of Union Budget, various years
Note: 1. Actual Expenditure figures are given as have been reported by 55 Non-exempted Ministries/Departments.

2. Total expenditure during current FY i.e. 2023-24 stands at ₹ 32421 crore upto 30.09.2023 against the BE of ₹ 94679.53 crore.