Al Ngullie
Morung Express News
Nagaland is walking into the new year dressed in old clothes with at least 30 development projects in delay, including several others pulled over from two past-fiscal years to be accommodated in the 2012 fiscal. The Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) says that the delayed-for-completion projects are all under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for DoNER Paban Singh Ghatowar told the Lok Sabha in December that the ministry ‘sanctions the developmental projects’ in North Eastern Region NLCPR scheme as well as through the North Eastern Council (NEC). In his reply to the Lok Sabha December 20, the Minister for State listed out to the Lok Sabha the status of development projects underway under the NLCPR scheme in the North Eastern Region as well as under the NEC.
Nagaland has 70 ongoing developmental projects out of which 14 projects remains incomplete and they have been delayed completion by more than one-year but less than 3 years. Again, the number of ongoing projects whose completion was delayed by 3 years and more (delay by 36 months and more) is 17.
Likewise, Singh said there are a number of developmental projects underway through the NEC in the North East Region. Under it, he listed Nagaland has 36 ongoing projects out of which one ongoing project has remains uncompleted and delayed by more than 1 year but less than 3 years (delay by 12 to 35 months). There are also 6 ongoing projects whose completion have been delayed by 3 years and more (delay by 36 months and above).
The Minister explained to the house that state governments implement the developmental projects. Listing out other states’ delayed-projects, the minister said the reasons for the delay in completion include limitation of technical and professional expertise and prevailing law and order situations.
Records obtained from the DoNER do not mention what developmental projects are in-delay in Nagaland. However, successive sanction statuses and listings show that Nagaland state has quite a backlog on matters concerning developmental initiatives and their completion. For instance, there are 8 major works that have been retained from the priority list for year 2010-2011 worth a total “retained amount” of Rs. 146.31 Crore; 7 developmental projects retained from the priority list for year 2011-2012 worth Rs. 115.24 Crore.
In addition, there are three more projects, which the DoNER says have been ‘retained in principle.’ The records show the three projects are worth Rs. 63 Crore as cost.
Interestingly, even in the face of delay there is more “developmental projects” already ‘sanctioned’ by the Central government on way. There are three new projects ‘sanctioned’ for year 2011-2012. They are construction of a 15-kilometer road from Diezephe to Razephe; improvement of a 19-kilometer border road in Changlanshu and a bridge over River Tizu in Phek, the records show.
