Union Minister of State for DoNER and Education, Sukanta Majumdar, has urged the Meghalaya government to accelerate the completion of long-delayed projects in the state. “The government of Meghalaya should expedite the completion of the long-delayed projects. There are approximately 10 delayed projects. We also discussed the status of these projects,” he stated.
Majumdar noted that while the state government is making progress, certain projects are deemed unfeasible. “Amongst the delayed projects, some are feasible while some are not. Within a few days, the state government will communicate with the DoNER Ministry about the projects they intend to drop. They will request the same amount of funds for separate projects,” he revealed.
He also emphasized that despite some projects being marked as delayed on paper, significant progress has been made. “Most of the projects are either 100 percent completed or have achieved 80 percent completion. However, they are still listed as delayed because the completion status has not been uploaded. There are formal procedures for submitting the completion certificate, and in some cases, the utilization certificate has not yet been submitted. Within a few months, the state government will be able to submit the required documentation,” he assured.
Chairing a review meeting on DoNER projects, Majumdar highlighted the ministry’s five-point framework for the Northeast. “The first point is fostering healthy competition between states. Secondly, the government of Meghalaya should identify villages and towns in border areas for infrastructure development. Thirdly, the Ministry of DoNER and the Meghalaya government must work towards completing major projects sanctioned under the ministry. The fourth point involves implementing a key idea for development across the state to ensure 100 percent saturation. Lastly, the government of Meghalaya must expedite the completion of long-delayed projects,” he elaborated.
He also spoke about recent policy shifts aimed at boosting the state’s logistics sector. “Recently, the government of Meghalaya made changes, bringing logistics under the industry category. This move will enhance logistics facilities, promoting job creation, tourism, and other sectors in the state,” he remarked.
Highlighting Meghalaya’s tourism potential, Majumdar noted that the state is collaborating with other Northeastern states on a “Vision 2047” document. “Meghalaya, along with other Northeastern states, is preparing a vision document for 2047. Our minister envisions that by then, India will become ‘Viksit Bharat,'” he stated.
He further announced an upcoming visit by DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. “DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will visit Meghalaya, probably on March 11 and 12. In his presence, the state will present its vision document,” Majumdar confirmed.