Northeast 10th July: Union Minister for Power and Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, visited Arunachal Pradesh on July 8 to review ongoing schemes and proposals in the power and urban development sectors. On July 9, he extended his review to other North Eastern states.
During the visit, he congratulated Assam for being the best-performing state in the region under the PMSvanidhi scheme and for being the first state to adopt the Model Tenancy Act.
The Urban Development Department presented its achievements and the status of flagship schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The state government requested an enhancement of the carpet area for PMAY houses from 30 to 50 square meters and an increase in the Centre’s contribution for their construction. Additionally, they demanded funding for solid waste management in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation and the resumption of lump-sum funding to northeastern states.
Manohar Lal assured that all matters would be considered sympathetically, considering the region’s unique climatic conditions and hilly terrain. He praised the beauty of Arunachal Pradesh and expressed his desire to visit again.
The review meeting was attended by the chief minister, deputy chief minister, and chief secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, along with Surendra Bagde, Additional Secretary, MoHUA.
On July 9, Manohar Lal reviewed the implementation status of various urban missions in the northeastern states at a meeting in Guwahati. He emphasized the government’s commitment to the growth and development of the entire northeastern region, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable habitat development in line with India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
Ministers and secretaries/commissioners of urban development from Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura presented key challenges and issues in implementing central schemes, requesting increased financial support due to the unique geographic and environmental concerns faced by the region.
The minister acknowledged the geostrategic importance of the northeastern region and its potential for tourism. He highlighted the increasing demand for adequate land, housing, basic services, and infrastructure facilities due to urbanization.
He praised Assam for its performance under the PMSvanidhi scheme and the adoption of the Model Tenancy Act, urging other states to adopt the Act soon. He also appreciated the timely completion of projects in the 10 smart cities of the region under the Smart Cities Mission.
The meeting was attended by Sanjay Kulshrestha, CMD HUDCO, and K P Mahadevaswamy, CMD NBCC, who pledged their companies’ continued support for urban and infrastructure development in the region. Manohar Lal expressed optimism about the strategic and comprehensive roadmap for sustainable urban development in the northeastern states.
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