Centre asks Nagaland to prioritise PM-DevINE, DoNER projects

Kohima, October 21 (IANS) The Centre has asked the Nagaland government to prioritise the implementation of projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) and schemes of the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER), officials said on Wednesday.DoNER Ministry’s Joint Secretary Vipul Aggarwal held a meeting with the Nagaland government officials and reviewed the implementation of the projects under the PM-DevINE and MDoNER. He stressed the need for the state to urgently prioritise projects for submission under the 16th Finance Commission and advised the departments not to wait for the final allocation figures before submitting their priority lists.Aggarwal called for the submission of proposals by the end of October and stated that liabilities under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions would not be carried forward to the 17th Finance Commission.Emphasising the need for timely implementation, he called for a clear roadmap for project completion, with priority given to older projects and those that could be completed by the next financial year.DoNER Ministry’s Joint Secretary also stressed the need to expedite works, reduce project timelines wherever possible and ensure timely responses to queries and clarifications.Aggarwal said that major projects under PM-DevINE should be closely monitored and prioritised for early completion. He further emphasised the need for objective, need-based proposals and called for targeted interventions to address critical gaps in SDG performance.While acknowledging the progress made by other Northeastern states, he said Nagaland needed to do more to improve its socioeconomic development and ensure effective implementation of development projects.Addressing the meeting, Y. Kikheto Sema, Principal Secretary and Development Commissioner, Nagaland, expressed gratitude to the Centre and the DoNER ministry for extending financial assistance to Nagaland since the establishment of the Ministry in 1998.However, he stated that the funding received by the state had not been commensurate with its developmental needs. Sema informed that Nagaland had received a total of Rs 5,339.50 crore under the Ministry of DoNER from 1998 to 2025, which was comparatively lower than the amount sanctioned to several other Northeastern states.The Principal Secretary pointed out that Nagaland was the third-lowest recipient of MDoNER funding in the region, despite being the second-oldest Northeastern state after Assam, and called for greater financial support to address the State’s developmental requirements.He stated that Nagaland was looking forward to an era of peace, progress and development and emphasised the need to accelerate development by prioritising critical sectors such as healthcare, road connectivity, education and other essential infrastructure.With government employment opportunities nearing saturation, Sema said the State Government was exploring alternative avenues for sustainable livelihoods and employment, particularly for the youth.He highlighted the potential of plantation and commercial crops such as coffee, tea, rubber and agarwood, as well as eco-tourism, in promoting entrepreneurship, generating income and ensuring sustainable economic growth.