Nagaland Deputy CM reviews stalled DoNER and NEC projects, warns of fund lapses ahead of 16th Finance Commission.
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DIMAPUR — With several key infrastructure projects in limbo, Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting at the Chief Secretary’s conference hall in Kohima to evaluate the progress of projects funded under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the North Eastern Council (NEC).
A press release stated that Zeliang, while addressing officials from various departments, expressed concern over the prolonged delay in completion of several projects, some of which have been pending for more than a decade.
He underscored the need for urgent action, noting that the current financial year marks the end of the 15th Finance Commission cycle.
“Any unutilised funds could impact the funding pattern under the 16th Finance Commission for the upcoming fiscal year,” he warned.
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A total of 26 projects categorised as “distressed” across schemes such as NESIDS (OTRI), NESIDS (Roads), and NEC were reviewed during the meeting.
For projects where funds were already released but remain incomplete, the Ministry of DoNER has issued a strict directive: either complete the project or foreclose it with full refund. Departments that committed to revised completion timelines have been instructed to adhere strictly to them.
The review also covered 16 legacy projects under the erstwhile NLCPR scheme, now brought under NESIDS (OTRI), cutting across departments like Law & Justice, Youth Resources & Sports, PHED, PWD (R&B), School Education, and Health & Family Welfare. Notably, some of these projects date back as far as 2003.
In addition, five projects under NESIDS (Roads) and NEC were also found to be incomplete. Respective departments assured the government that they would meet the revised deadlines.
The meeting identified several administrative and procedural bottlenecks responsible for delays.
The Planning Department was directed to act swiftly as a liaison between the state and the Ministry to ensure accurate and timely submission of project data for smoother coordination.
The meeting ended with a collective resolve among the departments to fast-track the completion of the critical infrastructure projects.