Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Mar 29: At a joint Press Conference convened here today by Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar, Dr Jitendra Singh and Santosh Gangwar to furnish details about the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced the decision of 100% funding for Centrally supported projects and works in Northeast and said, this would be a turning point in the transformation of Northeast.
Pertinent to mention that earlier for the eight States of Northeast and three Hill States of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, there was provision of 90:10% funding with 90% share from the Centre and 10% from the State. As per the decision taken by the Cabinet, North-Eastern Council (NEC) projects have been allocated, budgetary provision of Rs.4500 crore for completing the ongoing projects on existing-funding pattern till March 2020 and for funding new projects in specified sectors on 100% Central funding.
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This is for the first time in the history of independent India, said Dr Jitendra Singh, that an exclusive region based allocation is being made for development of the road sector. The North-East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) at estimated cost of Rs. 1000 crore, he said, will be particularly devoted to upgradation of important inter-State roads, again at 100% funding from Central Sector Schemes, to be implemented by NEC.
Dr Jitendra Singh also mentioned some of the priority sectors for NEC, particularly those which may not be taken up by any individual central ministry or State Government. These, he said, included the most significant “Bamboo sector” for which the Union Cabinet recently made an amendment in the “Indian Forest Act of 1947” and the potential of turning the home grown bamboo into “Green Gold” for livelihood purposes would be possible to achieve. In addition, regional tourism, higher education including health education, floriculture, aromatic plants, tele-medicine, remote medical satellite TV, etc. are the other sectors which will be given priority.
Prakash Javadekar, in response to queries from media persons, vowed strict action against CBSE paper leak and said,he was as much pained and anguished as the parents of the students appearing for the exam. He said, CBSE has always enjoyed a very high degree of credibility and trust and therefore, the government is committed to restore its credibility.
Javadekar said, the issue is being minutely deliberated upon by the CBSE Authorities and very soon, they will announce the future course of action as also how to go about with the examination. Earlier, he shared with media persons Union Cabinet’s decision to provide loan / funding to meritorious students in order to be able to complete their higher education.
Ravi Shankar Prasad summed up the announcements made by the other Ministers related to their respective departments and said that the Union Cabinet has taken some important decisions with far reaching benefits, which also include regulating unorganized labour sector.
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