12-Oct-2022: Cabinet approves new Scheme “Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) for the remaining four years of the 15th Finance Commission from 2022-23 to 2025-26

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved a new Scheme, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) for the remaining four years of the 15th Finance Commission from 2022-23 to 2025-26.  The new Scheme, PM-DevINE, is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central funding and will be implemented by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

The PM-DevINE Scheme will have an outlay of Rs.6,600 crore for the four year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of 15th Finance Commission period).

Efforts will be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year. This implies front-loading of the sanctions under the Scheme in 2022-23 and 2023-24 primarily. While expenditure would continue to be incurred during 2024-25 and 2025-26, focused attention will be given to complete the sanctioned PM-DevINE projects.

PM-DevINE will lead to creation of infrastructure, support industries, social development projects and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to employment generation.

PM-DevINE will be implemented by Ministry of DoNER through North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/ agencies. Measures would be taken to ensure adequate operation and maintenance of the projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE so that they are sustainable. To limit construction risks of time and cost overrun, falling on the Government projects would be implemented on Engineering-procurement-Construction (EPC) basis, to the extent possible.

The objectives of PM-DevINE are to:

1. Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti;
2. Support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER;
3. Enable livelihood activities for youth and women;
4. Fill the development gaps in various sectors.

There are other MDoNER Schemes for the development of North Eastern Region. The average size of projects under other MDoNER Schemes is about Rs.12 crore only. PM-DevINE will provide support to infrastructure and social development projects which may be larger in size and will also provide an end-to-end development solution instead of isolated projects. It will be ensured that there is no duplication of project support under PM-DevINE with any of the other schemes of MDoNER or those of any other Ministry/Department.

PM-DevINE, was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region (NER). Announcement of PM-DevINE is yet another instance of the importance being attached to the development of NE Region by the Government.

PM-DevINE is an additionality to the quantum of resources available for the development of the NER. It will not be a substitute for existing Central and State Schemes.

While some of the projects to be approved for 2022-23 under PM-DevINE are part of the Budget announcement, projects with substantial socio-economic impact or sustainable livelihood opportunities for the general public (e.g., basic infrastructure in all Primary Health Care Centres, comprehensive facilities in Government Primary and Secondary Schools, etc) may be considered in the future.

The justification for announcement of PM-DevINE is that the parameters of NE States in respect of Basic Minimum Services (BMS) are well below the national average and there are critical development gaps as per the BER District Sustainable Development Goad (SDG) Index 2021-22 prepared by NITI Aayog, UNDP and MDoNER. The new Scheme, PM-DevINE was announced to address these BMS shortfalls and development gaps.

14-Mar-2022: PM-DevINE for North East

A new scheme, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (or PM-DevINE) has been announced in Union Budget 2022-23, which will fund infrastructure in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti, and social development projects based on felt needs of the North-East. PM-DevINE will enable livelihood activities for youth and women by filling the gaps in various sectors, but it will not be a substitute for existing Central or State schemes. An initial allocation of Rs.1,500 crore has been made, as per Budget speech for 2022-23; and the initial list of projects is given below.

Initial list of Projects under PM DevINE

24-Feb-2022: PM-DevINE Scheme to give a huge boost cancer care in North East India

The Population Based Cancer Registry of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reveals that the incidence of cancer in India is highest in the North-Eastern Region. The national average incidence of cancer every year varies from 90-120 per lakh population, whereas in the North-eastern Region it is as high as 220-270 per lakh population. As per the ICMR report, more than 45,000 new cancer patients are detected in the North-eastern Region each year.

Given the need for cancer care in the Northeast, Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) was set up in 1974 at Guwahati, Assam as a private hospital by a voluntary organization for the treatment of cancer patients. In the year 1980, the Institute was recognized by the Govt. of India as a Regional Cancer Centre for Treatment & Research and since November 1989, BBCI has received the support of the Government of Assam, North-Eastern Council and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. In September 2017, the Institute was transferred to DAE under the administrative control of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai along with existing personnel, assets and liabilities. Today, as many as 14,000 new and 2,00,000 old patients with cancer visit BBCI every year for diagnosis, treatment, and check-up.

BBCI has the state-of-the-art facility for treatment of common cancers of the North-East. However, statistics show that, treatment facilities are still limited in the region. As per the ICMR report, 95% of patients from Sikkim, 58% from Nagaland, 16% from Manipur, 13% from Meghalaya go out of the North-Eastern Region for cancer treatment. Moreover, some cancers like paediatric and adult Haemotolymphoid (blood cancers) malignancies are among the curable cancers and, if treated optimally, patients can survive to live a long and fruitful life. However, the expertise to treat these cancers are restricted to some specialised centres in the country, one of which is the Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Establishment of a dedicated paediatric oncology block in the NE Region will generate human resources and expertise to take care of these cancers.

The Union Budget 2022-23 included a new scheme, “Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East”, in short, PM-DevINE, to be implemented through the North-Eastern Council, Ministry of Development of the North-Eastern Region. The objective of the new Scheme is to fund infrastructure, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti, as well as support social development projects conceptualised based on felt needs of the North-East.

For the year 2022-23, an initial allocation of Rs 1,500 crore was made for PM-DevINE and one of the major projects identified for starting during the year is “Establishment of Dedicated Services for the Management of Paediatric and Adult Haemotolymphoid Cancers in North-East India, to be located at Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) Guwahati” at an estimated cost of Rs 129 crore. This initiative is expected to give a huge boost to cancer care in the Region given that in the last 11 years, 3,855 childhood and adult Haemotolymphoid cancer patients reported to BBCI for treatment. Moreover, due to dearth of adequate facilities other than the BBCI in the North-East, there may be many more patients who need this specialised care but do not get it close to home and must travel to other centres across the country.

Once dedicated paediatric oncology block is established, approximately 1,000 patients annually can be offered treatment for this group of ailments, which will significantly reduce the patient expenditure and benefit the people of the North-Eastern Region immensely.

23-Feb-2022: The recently announced Rs 1,500 crore Prime Minister Development Initiative for the North East (PM-DevINE) scheme will prove to be a bonus for the sector

Union Minister of Development of North East Region, Tourism and Culture Shri G. Kishan Reddy said that the central government has remained committed towards empowering the MSMEs and the recent budget has given a further push to make them more competitive.

The Union minister said that MSMEs will play a critical role for the nation’s economic growth over the next 25 years of ‘Amrit Kaal’.

Shri Reddy highlighted that the North East Region has huge untapped potential when it comes to the MSME sector and opportunities in agriculture, food processing, tourism, mineral based industries, IT, infrastructure etc. need to be explored

He also called upon all stakeholders to work together in coordination to make the most of the changing paradigm of development in the North East and promote the MSME sector.

Union Minister of Development of North East Region, Tourism and Culture Sri G. Kishan Reddy addressed the ‘North East MSME Conclave: Building Competitiveness for Leveraging Opportunities’, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

The Union Minister hailed the MSME sector as the backbone of the economy and emphasised that on the journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, MSME’s must take the lead.

He further emphasised the fact that the MSMEs will play a critical role for the nation’s economic growth over the next 25 years of ‘Amrit Kaal’.

He added that there is immense potential for the MSMEs in Northeast – be it agriculture, food processing, tourism, mineral based industries, IT, infrastructure. He said that this huge potential needs to be tapped for bringing about inclusive development in the region.

The Union Minister also emphasised on the fact that the central government has remained committed towards development of the North East Region and several measures have been taken in this regard. He added that the recently announced Rs 1,500 crore Prime Minister Development Initiative for the North East (PM-DevINE) scheme will prove to be a bonus for the sector.

He further added that the North East Region is entering a new phase of development with several new opportunities emerging and that there is a need to make the most of this changing paradigm.

The Minister also urged that to achieve the goal of overall development, it is pertinent that all stakeholders, including the MSMEs need to work together to embark on a vibrant journey to realise the dreams of a better future.

1-Feb-2022: A new scheme announced for Northeast

A new scheme, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East, PM-DevINE was announced by the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2022-23 here today.

The Finance Minister stated that the PM-DevINE will be implemented through the North-Eastern Council. An initial allocation of Rs. 1,500 crore will be made for the new scheme. It will fund infrastructure, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti, and social development projects based on felt needs of the North-East. This will enable livelihood activities for youth and women, filling the gaps in various sectors, the Minister explained. However, it will not be a substitute for existing central or state Schemes. While the central ministries may also pose their candidate projects, priority will be given to those posed by the states.

The initial list of projects to be funded under the Scheme is given below:

Initial list of projects under PM DevINE