Context:
The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) has approved 90 projects totaling Rs 3417.68 crore under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
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- The scheme is a central sector initiative, 100% funded by the Government of India.
- These projects are executed by the State Governments of the North Eastern Region (NER), with the responsibility for monitoring lying primarily with them.
Monitoring Mechanisms:
- To ensure proper oversight, Ministry officials and the North Eastern Council (NEC) regularly inspect selected projects.
- The Field Technical Support Units (FTSU) in all 8 NE States maintain project databases and conduct inspections.
- A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was introduced to strengthen monitoring, with Project Quality Monitors (PQMs) responsible for inspecting projects under Rs 20 crore.
- For larger projects, Third-Party Technical Inspection (TPTI) agencies, such as engineering colleges, are tasked with overseeing the work.
Objectives
- Infrastructure Development
- Promote Regional Growth
- Project Monitoring and Quality Assurance
- Efficient Implementation
- Support Multiple Sectors
The components of the NESIDS scheme:
- NESIDS (Roads): For road, bridge and auxiliary infrastructure projects.
- NESIDS Other Than Roads (OTRI): Covers infrastructure projects in sectors like healthcare, education, water supply, waste management, industrial development, and telecom, with project sizes between Rs 5 crore and Rs 50 crore.