Kohima, Feb 13 : Highlighting the new scheme Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DevINE), Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju has said for the first time a provision has been inserted in the budget about the uniqueness of the region “that has its own difficulties and challenges”.
The separate scheme has been created for the sole purpose of funding the gaps, and taking care of those things which are not included in any of the schemes or provisions, Rijiju said at a press conference in Dimapur on Saturday on his way to Manipur to campaign for the BJP in the Assembly polls there. Rijiju, who attended a meeting with the Nagaland Cabinet led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at Chumoukedima near Dimapur, said the scheme will be implemented by the North Eastern Council and chaired by the Home Minister, where an initial budget of Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated, which will be a “blessing for the entire Northeastern Region”.
Rijiju said he asked the Nagaland Government to take maximum advantage of the scheme as it was created for the purpose of funding gaps and to take care of those not included in any of the schemes or provisions. He said this was because in the North East, there were many schemes that were not part of the Union Budget. This was mainly because there were several problems in implementing projects or schemes, which were not funded by any programme, policy or by any Ministry.
Rijiju termed the Union Budget 2022-2023 as “self-reliant” and claimed that all sectors across the country had wholeheartedly appreciated and welcomed it, including the business community and stock market traders. He said people in remote areas too felt that the budget had included many things for every sector of the country. He said the total allocation for the Northeastern region in the budget of 2021-22 was Rs 68,020 crore and despite the difficulties posed by the Covid19 pandemic, the total allocation for the region increased by over Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 78,040 crore in the latest budget. To a question on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, Rijiju said the Union Home Ministry is taking necessary measures to ensure it is not misused.
The Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that the issues raised need to be addressed rationally. On the huge unemployment in the Northeastern region, Rijiju said the youth were used to joining movements of various organisations, adding that there were student unions in every state. He, however, appealed to the youth not to remain confined to unions alone and engage themselves in productive activities. Speaking on PM Gati Shakti plan, Rijiju explained the Northeast could benefit immensely in terms of better telecom communication, especially in far-flung areas, as the plan would focus on erecting telecom towers at strategic locations, minimising the problem of cables, and providing better connectivity. He remarked that the Northeastern states could not utilise budgetary allocation under the Congress regimes in the past.
