GUWAHATI, June 18 ? Assam has received the highest amount of Rs 239.16 crore from the Non-Lapsable Pool of Central Resources (NPCR) among all the North Eastern States during the last four consecutive financial years since 1998-99. The release of fund from the NPCR is the lowest at Rs 66.81 crore to Meghalaya during the same period due to poor utilisation of funds and lack of viable projects from Meghalaya Government.
A highly-placed source in the Department of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) informed that total Rs 1346.72 crore were released from NCPR to all the NE States including Sikkim during the period from 1998-99 to 2001-2002. Out of the total amount released Assam received Rs 293.16 crore followed by Rs 215.29 crore for Tripura, Rs 184.42 crore for Manipur, Rs 168.07 crore for Mizoram, Rs 152.85 crore for Arunachal Pradesh Rs 132.16 crore for Nagaland, Rs 115.50 crore for Sikkim and Rs 66.81 crore to Meghalaya Rs 18.46 crore was released for projects common to all NE States. The NE States including Sikkim were provided total Rs 121.95 crore in 1998-99 from the NCPR, Rs 419.92 crore in 1999-2000, Rs 313.04 crore in 2000-01 and the highest amount of Rs 491.81 crore during 2001-02.
Meanwhile, the DONER has geared up monitoring of implementation of projects financed under the Non-Lapsable Pool of Resources and made it mandatory for the State governments of the region to submit the periodic feed back regarding the progress of implementation of the projects. The feed back from the State Governments is expected in the form of utilisation certificate and quarterly progress reports on the proforma prescribed by the DONER for the purpose.
The projects in different NE States which have either been completed or commitment from the NCPR has been fulfilled included: Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Assam (Rs 4.85 crore), 89 Minor irrigation schemes in Assam (Rs 11.21 crore), Sankardev Netralaya, Assam (Rs 1 crore) Upgradation of Guwahati Medical College (Rs 8 crore). Infrastructure for National Games, Manipur (Rs 10 crore), Additional Central Assistance (ACA) for Basic Minimum Services (BMS), Manipur (Rs 16 crore), ACA for BMS in Mizoram (Rs 14.91 crore), Administrative training Institute, Nagaland (Rs 1 crore), Railway Overbridge at Dimapur (Rs 3.50 crore), Rural Water Supply Schemes, Sikkim (Rs 13.50 crore), six anti-erosion and landslide works in Arunachal Pradesh (Rs 11.30 crore), and Lamakhong Heavy Fuel Based Power Project in Manipur (Rs 126 crore) which is to be commissioned shortly. In the meantime, the DONER has decided to depute its officials to carry out field inspections for monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the projects financed from NCPR in all NE States.