New Delhi, July 31: In a major push to boost infrastructure and economic development in the Northeastern Region (NER), the Central Government has constructed 16,207 km of National Highways and sanctioned ₹69,342 crore for railway projects, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.
Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Sukanta Majumdar told the Rajya Sabha that the Ministry of Railways has approved 12 railway projects – including eight new lines and four doubling projects – with a combined length of 777 km, either partially or entirely within the NER. Of this, 278 km have already been commissioned, and ₹41,676 crore has been expended up to March 2025.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the government sanctioned 17,637 road works covering 89,436 km and 2,398 bridges in the Northeast. So far, 16,469 road works (80,933 km) and 2,108 bridges have been completed, significantly improving rural connectivity.
To bridge the digital divide in remote and rural areas, several initiatives supported by the Digital Bharat Nidhi have been launched. A total of 6,355 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project. Additionally, 3,297 mobile towers have been commissioned across the region under various government-funded mobile connectivity schemes.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, through the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, has made notable progress in enhancing regional air connectivity. As many as 90 UDAN routes have been operationalised in the Northeast, connecting 12 airports and heliports and making air travel more accessible and affordable for the region’s population.
The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) continues to provide financial support to all eight Northeastern states for development projects under five Central Sector Schemes. These include initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure, connectivity, and communication across the region.
A flagship programme under MDoNER is the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), a 100% centrally funded scheme with a total outlay of ₹6,600 crore. Running from 2022–23 to 2025–26, PM-DevINE focuses on funding infrastructure projects aligned with PM GatiShakti, promoting social development, and supporting livelihood opportunities for youth and women. It also aims to address developmental gaps in critical sectors.
Tourism development across all eight Northeastern states is also receiving a boost through MDoNER’s various schemes, with the aim of unlocking the region’s rich cultural and ecological potential.
