Early release of funds and monitoring of progress of the works are among the steps mooted by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) B K Handique in a bid to expedite the completion of sanctioned projects of the North Eastern Council (NEC), reports PTI.

An externally aided $150 million project for the North East region is in the pipeline for improving the standard of living of the people of the rural areas of the region and if the project comes through, the Department for Development of North East Region (DoNER) will be the implementing agency.

Pranab Mukherjee

Work on infrastructure projects in the North-east is all set to gather momentum, with Ministry DoNER firming up a road map for finalisation of projects and preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), within the first 100 days of the UPA Government. The projects covering all eight North Eastern States (NES) are linked to the Rs 500 crore earmarked in the 2008-2009 Budget.

The Ministry for the Development of North-eastern Region (DoNER) has outlined the

Efforts will be made to streamline the functioning of the Department for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) so that the proposals received from the Governments of the states of the region are cleared as soon as possible, asserted the Minister in charge of DoNER, BK Handique.

GUWAHATI

GUWAHATI, Aug 3

Pleading that development be given a chance, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today said that he is confident that all differences could be amicably resolved through discussion and dialogue. "I have often said that there is no grievance that cannot be addressed through a ballot box and no grievance that can be redressed through a barrel of a gun,' the Prime Minister said releasing the Vision 2020 Document here this morning.

Acknowledging the fact that government apathy towards developmental works in backward areas of North East Region (NER) was creating a "fertile ground' for insurgency, the Central Government now wants to ensure that at least 25 per cent of the fund released from the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) are allocated to priority projects located in some of the most remote northeastern areas.