Centre okays Rs 250.80 cr for repair of NE highways

NEW DELHI, March 8: The National Highways in Northeast are finally likely to witness repair work, with the Ministry of Surface Transport (MoST) sanctioning Rs 250.80 crore for its development. The earmarked amount being 10 per cent of the total budgetary allocation of Rs 2508 crore of the MoST. The sanction of the entire 10 per cent of the allocation earmarked for the region on development of NHs is part of the proposal to attach top priority for development of infrastructure including airports, railways, power and NHs to remove the sense of isolation. The detail of the project work undertaken by the Central government in the region was mentioned in the report furnished by the Union Finance Minister, Yaswant Sinha while presenting the Budget. The Implementation of the Budget announcements was tabled for the first time as part of the Union Budget, presented last week. According to the report, the civil aviation sector in the Northeast will see projects worth Rs 557.83 crore being undertaken by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). The projects would be in accordance with the MoU signed between the AAI and the North Eastern Council (NEC). The railways ministry has completed the new line and commissioned the Jogighopa - Guwahati route. Work is being progressed on Kumarghat-Agartala new line on top priority. The gauge conversions of Siliguri-New Bongaigaon-Lumding-Silchar sections are being undertaken on a priority basis, it reported. The report also claimed the Makum-Dangri and Amguri-Tuli gauge conversion would be completed during the next financial year (2001-2002). The Gauge conversion of Bhairabi-Kathakal and Silchar-Jiribum has been sanctioned. Construction of a new line connecting New Mainaguri and Jogighopa has been sanctioned. The pending projects were cited as main factors for the inability of the Railways to provide anything new in this year's Railway Budget. The priority is to complete the pending projects in the Northeast, that's why no new project has been taken up this year, said the chairman of the Railway Board, Ashok Kumar, justifying the Budget. Further work on the Bogibeel road-cum-rail bridge would be undertaken after obtaining requisite clearances and once the cost is firmed up and the project report becomes available, the report said. It may be mentioned that the Budget for the next financial year has no provision for the Bogibeel bridge project, estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore. The last Budget earmarked a meagre Rs 5 crore for survey work. The report further stated that to provide more facilities for vocational education, 50 more ITIs and 446 computer information centres would be set up in the Region. The Eleventh Finance Commission considered the package and approved setting up of 22 new ITI, strengthening of 35 existing ITI. The approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is being obtained, the report added.