28 DEC , Delhi: 1. Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav (AKAM)
The ‘North East Festival’ was celebrated as a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav (AKAM)’ from 28th April to 4th May, 2022. Various participative activities were held in all eight NE States in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari. The valedictory function, on 4th May 2022 at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakhsetra in Guwahati, was graced by then His Excellency President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind and then the First Lady of India, Smt. Savita Kovind. Hon’ble Union Minister of DoNER, Culture & Tourism, Shri G. Kishan Reddy and Hon’ble MoS MDoNER & Cooperation, Shri B.L. Verma were gracious hosts.
Hon’ble Union Minister of Law & Justice Shri Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, Waterways and AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble MoS of Labour & Employment and Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Rameshwar Teli, Hon’ble MoS of External Affairs and Education, Dr.R.K. Ranjan Singh, Hon’ble MoS of Social Justice & Empowerment, Sushri Pratima Bhoumik joined as special invitees. Other honourable dignitaries present were Hon’ble Governor of Assam Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Hon’ble Governor of Manipur Shri La. Ganesan, Hon’ble CM of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon’ble CM of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Pema Khandu, Hon’ble CM of Manipur Shri N. Biren Singh, Hon’ble CM of Meghalaya Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble CM of Tripura Shri Biplab Kumar Deb and Hon’ble CM of Sikkim Shri Prem Singh Tamang.
His Excellency the President enjoined upon all influential stakeholders – Central & State Governments and others – to work together to improve the ease of doing business parameters and to facilitate the flow of investments into the North East. He also focused on issues like climate change and in his address he said, “When climate change has emerged as the greatest challenge before humankind, careful planning would be needed in the years to come to preserve the rich ecological heritage of the region”.
2. District Level NER Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index
MDoNER had launched the country’s first district level SDG Index for the eight North East Region States as a collaborative effort with NITI Aayog, with technical support from UNDP. This is a first of its kind progress tracking tool for the North Eastern Region, of critical significance to the Region’s development trajectory. The SDG NER index is aligned to the SDG India Index and is based on a north-east specific District Indicator Framework, comprising of 84 indicators to measure progress of NER across 15 SDGs. In furtherance to the first edition of the NER District SDG Index Report released on 26th August, 2021, Ministry of DoNER in collaboration with NITI Aayog and UNDP is in the progress to finalize the Second edition of District level NER SDG Index in 2022.
The adoption of the NER SDG District Index for goal-based planning, gap-based prioritization, and indices-based outcome targeting is needed for coordinated planning and monitoring in the entire region. This will ensure a targeted and optimal utilization of available resources as per felt needs in the region. The institutionalization of this data-driven framework will empower all stakeholders in their decision-making and policymaking.
A dashboard has also been made available by NITI Aayog where a visual representation of the progress made by the districts against the 15 SDGs can be easily monitored. NESAC has further augmented its own geoportal for visual representation of the progress made by the districts against all the 84 indicators of the Index. These visualizations provide valuable insights into the status across key parameters to provide deeper policy insights and actionable inputs.
The index is fostering a healthy competition at sub-national level for better outcomes. To help imbue the SDG Framework in the States’ planning and project prioritization in follow-up of the publication of the District-wise SDG Index, MDoNER is negotiating with the UNDP and NITI to set up related Planning Units in the States, with deployment of trained and expert manpower preferably by January-2023.
3. Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (PM-DevINE)
As per its mandate, the Ministry of DoNER undertakes matters relating to the planning, execution and monitoring of developmental schemes and projects in NE Region. In light of the assessment that the NE Region has a significant developmental backlog – not only in infrastructure but also in social development, livelihood and community capacities sectors – requiring attention across the 8 NE States, a new scheme, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (PM-DevINE) has been initiated. Announced in Budget 2022-23 as a 100% Central Sector Scheme, it aims at rapid and holistic development of the Region by funding projects of significant impact.
Its objectives are – to fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti ; support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER States ; enable livelihood activities, particularly for youth and women ; and fill development gaps in various sectors – through initiatives of significant size and comprehensive reach / sub-activities. PM-DevINE is not a substitute for existing Central or State schemes. While the Central ministries may pose their candidate projects under PM-DevINE, priority will be given to those posed by the States. The projects will be implemented through the North Eastern Council (NEC) or the Ministries / Departments or Agencies.
The Union Cabinet eventually approved the PM-DevINE Scheme on 12.10.2022, with total outlay of ₹ 6,600 crore for remaining 15th Finance Commission Period from 2022-23 to 2025-26. Projects will be sanctioned during 2022-23 and 2023-24 and focused attention will be given on completion of Projects by 2025-26. Meetings of the Empowered Committee of PMDevINE Scheme and the projects’ sanction is already underway, in consultation with the North East Council, States of the Region, Central Ministries & partner Agencies. Two ongoing ropeway projects in Sikkim are targeted for completion by March-2023 ; while newer livelihood-oriented projects are planned to be launched within January-2023.
4. 10% Gross Budgetary Support for North Eastern Region
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) monitors and keeps track of expenditure by all non-exempted Central Ministries / Departments (currently 55) mandated to spend at least 10% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes for NE Region.
This is to ensure a quantum jump in budgetary resource flows to the region to fill the backlog and gaps in basic minimum services and infrastructure. About Rs.3.64 lakh crore have been spent in NER since 2014-15 (upto 30.09.2022) under 10% GBS. The increase in expenditure under 10% GBS in NER is of around 186%, from Rs.24,819 crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 70,874 crore in 2021-22. The BE allocation for the year 2022-23 for NER under 10% GBS is Rs 76,040 crore.
During 2021-22, the expenditure tracking was meticulously done, by grouping the Ministries / Departments into three broadly functional categories and upgraded reporting through PFMS. Resultantly, the expenditure increased by Rs. 22,311 crore (46%) over the 2020-21 level ; and exceeded the target (104%) for the first time ever.
Ministry of DoNER has also been delegated the powers to recommend reallocation of resources to those Ministries who have higher absorptive capacity for 10% GBS expenditure in NER to enable fuller utilization of allocated resources. Under re-appropriation mechanism, the requests received for seeking additional funds for North Eastern Region from 2 Ministries/Departments, namely Ministry of Civil Aviation and NIPER, Department of Pharmaceuticals respectively were sent to Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance during 2021-22.
For improved efficacy in meeting the objectives of the extant policy, specific reviews are being taken for Ministries / departments which have fallen short of the targets consistently. Moreover, the Ministries / Departments have been asked to report administrative and schematic expenditures separately. Possibility of tracking State-wise expenditure is also being explored.
5. Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Agriculture
As agriculture sector is primary employer in the NE Region, priority is being accorded for its planned development. Following a joint review of agriculture sector conducted by the Hon’ble Ministers of Development of North Eastern Region and Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, a Task Force was constituted to steer the growth of Agriculture Sector in NE Region.
The Task Force held consultations with active stakeholders including State Governments and Central Agencies and considered (a) modifications required in the existing schemes of Agriculture Sector; and (b) New Schemes / Projects for improved utilization of 10% GBS. In its recommendations – horticulture, organic, agro-forestry and plantation sub-sectors are identified to be focused upon.
Integrated value chains – across raw material, infrastructure, processing, marketing stages – are detailed for high market potential commodities, viz. Bamboo, Spices (Ginger, Turmeric, Chilli, Large-Cardamom), pineapple and agarwood. Various supports for raw material, value addition and marketing segments of each value chain are also identified for concerted focus and convergent action by concerned Ministries / Agencies consultatively through pooling of resources, aligning scheme guidelines etc.
