By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 22: The North Eastern Council (NEC) has recorded a significant achievement in the financial year 2025-26, with a total expenditure of Rs 1,496.78 crore, reflecting accelerated development across the Northeast region.
According to an official press release, the expenditure includes Rs 792.12 crore under SoNEC (Schemes of NEC) and Rs 704.66 crore under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme–Roads (NESIDS-R). This performance signals a strong push towards infrastructure and socio-economic growth in the region.
During the year, NEC sanctioned 54 new projects worth Rs 435.22 crore, covering sectors such as higher education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, and livelihood development. In addition, 162 non-project activities valued at Rs 24.06 crore were approved, taking the total new sanctions to Rs 459.28 crore.
In terms of implementation, 136 projects worth Rs 678.85 crore were completed during the year, marking one of the highest completion rates in the current Finance Commission cycle. The NEC also successfully concluded 161 non-project activities, bringing the total number of deliverables to 297.
Under NESIDS-R, 64 projects worth Rs 3,037.39 crore were sanctioned across the eight northeastern states during the 15th Finance Commission period, out of which 30 projects worth Rs 1,123.08 crore have already been completed. These projects have significantly improved connectivity, including the construction of bridges and road upgrades in remote areas.
The NEC Secretariat also intensified monitoring efforts, conducting 405 field inspections during the year to ensure quality, accountability, and timely execution of projects.
A major governance achievement highlighted in the report is the sharp reduction in financial liabilities and pending utilisation certificates (UCs). Committed liabilities have been reduced by over 53%, from Rs 1,743.48 crore in April 2022 to Rs 813.17 crore in March 2026.
Meanwhile, pending UCs dropped by an impressive 97%, from Rs 440.82 crore in April 2025 to just Rs 10.94 crore by early 2026.
