SHILLONG: Ram Muivah, the secretary of the North Eastern Council (NEC), said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) will take up the Umroi project after land allotment is over.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Muivah said it was decided that NEC will construct the airport and the runway and the detailed project report was prepared by AAI. “They took one year to prepare the DPR and it came only few months ago. It was submitted to the secretary DoNER for the Standing Finance Committee meeting,” he added.
The finance committee has approved the DPR and NEC will take up the Umroi airport soon. “But one small hillock has to be knocked down for the extension of the runway because the implementing agency is the Airport Authority of India, we will give Rs 184 crore for the airport, i.e. 60 per cent and 40 per cent will come from AAI,” Muivah said.
He added that Rs 184 crore is for the extension of the runway as NEC had earlier sanctioned Rs 14 crore earlier for security and fencing.
Asked on the tentative timeframe of the project, Muivah said as per the Expenditure Finance Committee, NEC schemes are co-terminus with the 14th Finance Commission.
Informing that NEC schemes in all respect will have to be completed by March 2020, he said, “Effectively, we have only two years. We are asked not to take up any project that cannot be completed in the next two years. So after March 2020, another scheme will come up.”
As for the pending projects, NEC will attempt to complete the existing schemes by 2020. Projects which were delayed by over three years will be closed by the Ministry of DoNER and in case of any liability, it is up to the state government to take up.
He added that he has written a series of letter to chief secretaries by pointing out that three years beyond the date of completion; the DoNER Ministry has taken a decision to put its foot down.
“It is up to the state government to complete the projects with their own fund. Because giving it three years’ time is quite a lot after the date of completion,” he said.
State-wise fund
distribution
Muivah informed that every state gets its share based on population, human development index and geography. Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur get 12 per cent each, Arunachal Pradesh gets 13 per cent and Sikkim gets 7 while Assam gets 20 per cent.
“Fund is properly allocated but the release of fund is subjected to factor, submission of DPR and utilisation certificates. Somehow, Assam and Tripura, their release is a little less because of conflicting advice,” he added.
He pointed out that Assam and Tripura were asked to submit only big projects and they did so. The projects are beyond the NEC’s power and it went to the Ministry of Standing Finance Committee but the SFC never held a meeting except once or twice a year.
“Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh submitted small projects so the release is more handsome,” he added.
Asked on the NEC budget, he said for the normal NEC programme it is Rs 885 crore. It will NEC also give Rs 250 crore for special road projects (North Eastern Road Development Sector) next year.
“For the current year Rs 925 crore and the NERDS is Rs 150 crore. But next year it has come down slightly for normal programme against Rs 925 crore of last year but for special road programme we get Rs 100 crore more. Last year it was Rs 150 crore and next year it will be Rs 250 crore,” Muivah said.
Meanwhile, Health Minister AL Hek, who was also present during the interaction, said, “If we want to get Meghalaya as a tourist destination, we should complete it as quickly as possible to get the tourist coming in to our state. Without a full-fledged airport how do we expect tourists to flow to our state? But we have to push collectively.”
Sniawbhalang on Umroi project
Talking about the Umroi project, Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said tender has been called and work order is already issued for the runway. “It will start immediately,” Dhar told reporters.
Asked when the project will be completed, the minister said, “Not when… let them send the tender first, then you will know exactly.”
He added that the government is trying its best to complete it within time.
Asked about the reason for the delay, he pointed to natural calamity and land acquisition, among other things.
