Govt seeks more central funds for NST projects

SHILLONG, Nov 24: Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Sunday said the state government will push the Centre for more funds to develop several infrastructure projects in the New Shillong Township (NST) in the next three to four years.
“Work is under way for various infrastructure projects at NST. As the government will take up many more projects, the township will drastically change within three to four years,” the minister said.
To a query, he said the state government has sought funds from the Centre.
“Asking for funds from the central government is a continuous process. We are thankful to the Government of India for supporting us, especially in the NST project,” Dhar said.
The vision for the NST was conceived in the 1990s with the acquirement of land but the township is still at the development stage.
The state government spent over Rs 331 crore in acquiring land and collected Rs 83.07 crore in premiums from land deals at the NST.
An RTI reply revealed the New Shillong Township Development Agency received Rs 297.97 crore from the Urban Affairs department for the township’s development and the government collected premiums of Rs 83.07 crore through the allotment of land.
Land was allotted to 38 departments including Tourism department (it will build an Urban Park), CBI, governments of Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh, SICPAC (now known as Lariti International Centre for Performing Arts and Culture), RBI, MPSC, GPO, Skills Park, and others.
The RTI reply revealed that the government acquired 1,722.32 acres of land from various landowners over the years. Land was acquired from 11 landowners in 1995-1996, 5 landowners in 1997-1998, 7 landowners in 2003-2004, 7 landowners in 2006-2007, and 1 landowner in 2021-2022.
In 2020, the government had passed an order transferring the control of the township to the New Shillong Township Development Agency.