MDoNER reviews ongoing PM-DevINE schemes in Nagaland, urging timely completion and priority project lists
DIMAPUR — A review meeting on the progress and implementation of projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) and other schemes of the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER) was held in the office chamber of the Development Commissioner, Nagaland, on Wednesday.
According to a DIPR report, the meeting was attended by Joint Secretary of MDoNER Dr. Vipul Aggarwal, Principal Secretary and Development Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema, and representatives of the concerned line departments.
Dr. Aggarwal, who was on his second visit to Nagaland, thanked the state government for updates and sought clarification on critical projects, including the establishment of a 50-bed hospital at the new district headquarters in Peren, a multispeciality hospital at Chümoukedima, and the construction of indoor and outdoor stadium facilities at Peren Government College.
He stressed the need for the state to urgently prioritise projects for submission under the 16th Finance Commission and advised departments not to wait for final allocation figures before submitting priority lists. He called for proposals to be submitted 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.
Highlighting the need for timely implementation, Dr. Aggarwal 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. He stressed the need to expedite works, reduce project timelines wherever possible, and ensure prompt responses to queries and clarifications.
He stated that major projects under PM-DevINE should be closely monitored and prioritised for early completion. He underlined the need for objective, need-based proposals and called for targeted interventions to address critical gaps in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) performance.
Dr. Aggarwal noted that funding support was available for deserving projects but insisted that timely implementation and completion were essential.
While acknowledging progress made by other northeastern states, he said Nagaland needed to do more to improve socioeconomic development and ensure effective implementation of development works.
Addressing the meeting, Y Kikheto Sema expressed gratitude to the Government of India and MDoNER for extending financial assistance to Nagaland since the establishment of the ministry in 1998. However, he stated that funding received by the state had not been commensurate with its developmental needs.
He informed that Nagaland had received a total of INR 5,339.50 crore under MDoNER from 1998 to 2025, which was comparatively lower than amounts sanctioned to several other northeastern states. He 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 developmental requirements.
Kikheto said Nagaland was looking forward to an era of peace, progress, and development, underlining the need to accelerate development by prioritising critical sectors such as healthcare, road connectivity, education, and essential infrastructure.
With government employment nearing saturation, he stated that the state government was exploring alternative avenues for sustainable livelihoods and employment, particularly for youth. He highlighted the potential of plantation and commercial crops such as coffee, tea, rubber, and agarwood, as well as ecotourism, in promoting entrepreneurship, generating income, and ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Regarding project implementation, Sema informed that the state had 71 ongoing projects. While several projects had been completed, the execution of some had been affected by challenges, including land-related issues, natural calamities, and contractor delays. He said the state government was making concerted efforts to resolve these issues, including interventions at the level of the chief minister.
He urged MDoNER to take a considerate view of delays in implementation and continue extending cooperation, taking into account the unique landholding system and other challenges in the state. He also requested that the issue of refunds of previously allocated funds be considered in this context, adding that Nagaland’s peaceful situation should be viewed as an opportunity to provide greater impetus to development.
Highlighting disparities in SDG performance between Nagaland and other states, as well as among districts within the state, Kikheto said the government would prioritise sectors and districts with critical gaps. Road connectivity, healthcare, education, and other essential services would be taken up based on identified needs.
He also presented updates on ongoing projects and referred to instances where the central government had agreed to provide additional funding outside the normal allocation, but the amount was subsequently adjusted within the existing allocation. He urged the ministry to maintain clarity and consistency in funding commitments.
Kikheto assured that coordination meetings would be held with all concerned line departments to review project status, address implementation-related issues, and ensure timely completion.
During the meeting, representatives of line departments presented updates on their respective projects, followed by discussions on progress, challenges, and measures required to expedite execution.
As part of his visit, Dr. Aggarwal, along with a team from line departments, is scheduled to inspect project sites on October 22.
The sites include the construction of the Kohima Multidisciplinary Sports Centre at the IG Stadium Complex under PM-DevINE, educational infrastructure and facility development at polytechnics across Nagaland, the construction of a 220/132 kV (2x100 MVA) and 132/33 kV (2x50 MVA) substation at Tsitrongse in Dimapur along with associated transmission lines, and the upgradation of the Radiation Oncology Centre at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Dimapur.