Gangtok: The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has revealed that Rs 1506.02 crore has been sanctioned over the past decade for infrastructure projects in Sikkim under various schemes.
This is in addition to the mandatory allocation of 10% of the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) from Central Ministries for the North Eastern Region (NER), which aims to ensure basic services and infrastructure development.
The Ministry also reported an expenditure of Rs 39,827.6 crore over the past five years for developing educational institutions across the NER. Of this, Rs 1519.01 crore, or 10.32% of the Ministry’s sanctioned funds, was dedicated to educational institution development under various DoNER schemes.
To bolster entrepreneurship in the region, the Ministry approved 18 projects worth Rs 65.65 crore in the last five years and organized the North Eastern Region Entrepreneurship Summit East (NERES) 1.0 at a cost of Rs 2.99 crore.
In terms of research, the Ministry sanctioned Rs 27.11 crore for three projects under the Scheme of the North Eastern Council (NEC) during the last five years. However, the allocation for research centres remains modest in comparison to other sectors, raising concerns about the region’s capacity for innovation and technological advancement.
Expressing his concerns, Lok Sabha MP Dr. Indra Hang Subba emphasized the need for greater investment in research. “While the allocation for education in the NER is commendable and exceeds the national average, the spending on research remains minimal and requires urgent attention. Technology and innovation are key to national progress, and incentivizing research across fields is essential. Without substantial investment in research and innovation, a nation cannot aspire to be a global leader,” he stated.
These disclosures highlight the government’s ongoing efforts to address infrastructural and educational challenges in the NER while underlining the pressing need for increased focus on fostering research and innovation to ensure holistic development in the region.
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