Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Reiterating the central government's commitment to transforming the Northeast into a hub of growth and development today, Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the Union budget had an allocation of Rs 11,000 crore for taking flood-control (disaster-control) measures in Assam and Sikkim.
Addressing a press conference here today, Scindia announced a series of significant initiatives aimed at boosting development and disaster relief in the Northeast.
The DoNER Minister said that the north-eastern region witnessed remarkable growth in infrastructure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. "In the last 75 years, the Northeast was treated like an orphan, but Prime Minister Modi has turned it into India's growth engine," he said, noting that the number of airports in the region has nearly doubled, from 9 to 17, with three new airports constructed in Arunachal Pradesh alone.
He said that under the ambitious Purvoday Initiative, which envisions the Northeast as India's sunrise region, the government has made substantial investments. "The budget for the Ministry of DoNER has seen a significant increase from Rs 1,750 crore during the Congress regime to Rs 6,000 crore under the current administration," he said.
Highlighting the substantial increase in financial support to Assam, Scindia said, "During PM Modi's tenure, the tax devolution to Assam has increased to Rs 2.30 lakh crore, nearly four times the amount given from 2004 to 2014."
In addition to flood management funds, the Union Minister announced the establishment of 100 new post offices across the Northeast, reflecting the government's focus on enhancing connectivity and services. He also mentioned the development of South Asia's largest cancer hospital network in Assam, with seven new hospitals, and the upcoming first AIIMS in Guwahati.
Other notable projects, according to the Union Minister, include the first national data centre in the Northeast, to be set up in Assam, and a Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor unit poised to transform the region's technological landscape. Furthermore, the central government has allocated Rs 10,000 crore for railway development in 2024-2025, with 70 km of new tracks being laid in Assam, he added.
Scindia pointed out the timely completion of key projects like the Bogibeel Bridge and the Bhupen Hazarika Setu, both inaugurated during Prime Minister Modi's tenure.
Scindia, who is also the Telecommunications Minister, assured 100 percent telecom coverage of villages in the coming 12 months. "The Prime Minister is committed to 100 percent saturation in terms of telecommunication. We have identified around 24,000 villages in the country that still need saturation in terms of telecom connection," he said.
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