Recently the Union Cabinet approved a new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Vikas Pahal (PM-Devine/PM-DevINE) for the North Eastern Region.
- PM-Divine was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to bridge the growing gap in the North Eastern Region (NER).
PM-Divine Scheme:
- It is a central sector scheme with 100% central financing.
- The PM-Divine scheme will have an outlay of Rs 6,600 crore over a period of four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 ( the remaining years of the 15th Finance Commission period).
- PM-DIVine is in addition to the resources available for the development of the Northeast region. It will not be a substitute for the existing central and state schemes.
- Implementation:
- The scheme will be implemented by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region through the North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/Agencies.
Purpose:
- Funding infrastructure inclusively in PM Gati Shakti
- To support social development projects based on the needs felt by the NER;
- Enabling livelihood activities for youth and women;
- Bridging the growth gap in various sectors.
Importance of Northeast for India:
- Strategic Importance: Northeast India is the gateway to Southeast Asia and beyond. It is the land bridge from India to Myanmar.
- India’s ‘Act East’ policy places the northeastern states on the regional front line of engagement with India’s east.
- Cultural Significance: Northeast India is one of the most culturally diverse regions of the world. It is home to more than 200 tribes. Popular festivals include the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, Pang Lhabsol of Sikkim, etc.
- Northeast India is a region free from evils like the dowry system.
- The richness of the cultures of the Northeast is reflected in the fabric paintings and its highly developed folk dance forms such as Bihu (Assam).
- Manipur has a tradition of worshiping nature in sacred groves called Umangalai.
- Economic importance: Economically the region is rich in natural resources like tea, oil, and timber.
- It has an established power plant with 50,000 MW of hydroelectric power and abundant reserves of fossil fuels.
- Ecological importance: Northeast is a part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. It represents one of the biodiversity of birds and plants in the Indian subcontinent.
Current challenges related to Northeast India:
- Isolation from the Rest of India: Access to this region has always been poor due to geographical reasons and underdeveloped transport infrastructure with the rest of India.
- Lack of efficient infrastructure: Infrastructure i.e. physical (like roads, waterways, energy, etc.) as well as social infrastructure (for example educational institutions, and health facilities) plays an important role in human development and economic development of any region.
- One of the major reasons for the economic backwardness of the northeastern states is the poor state of infrastructure facilities.
- The slow pace of industrial development: The Northeast has historically been underdeveloped in terms of industrial development.
- Territorial Conflicts: There have been existing intra-state and international territorial conflicts within the Northeast, often based on historical border disputes and differing ethnic, tribal, or cultural similarities. Example: Assam-Mizoram border dispute.
- Insurgency and Political Issues: Extremism or terrorism is a political weapon and often arises due to political, economic, and social reasons.
- The northeastern states have seen the rise of insurgent activities and regional movements with a sense of exploitation and alienation from other Indian states.
Major Infrastructure Projects in the Northeast :
- Rail, Road, and Air Connectivity:
- 4,000 km. Roads, 2,011 km. 20 railway projects and 15 air connectivity projects are being developed.
- Waterway Connectivity:
- The National Waterways of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak rivers (NW-1 on the Ganga, NW-2 on the Brahmaputra, and NW-16 on Barak) are in the development stage to provide better connectivity.
- Eastern Waterways Connectivity Transport Grid:
- It is 5,000 km. Connecting the Northeast with the rest of India by providing navigable waterways.
- North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP):
- NERPSIP is a major step towards the economic development of the North Eastern Region by strengthening the Intra-State Transmission and Distribution System
- The government is also focusing on projects related to power transmission and distribution, mobile networks, 4G, and broadband connectivity.
Conclusion:
- Investment in infrastructure will generate employment and will play a major role in thwarting the separatist movements in the Northeast region.
- The North East region of India is surrounded by national and international borders, so infrastructure development under national and international projects would be the best option for inclusive development in the Northeast of India.