PM Modi visited NE states 44 times since 2017
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 09 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the North Eastern states 44 times beginning from the year 2017 to 2022 .

The Prime Minister visited the NE four times in the year 2017,11 each in 2018 and 2019, nine in 2021 and eight times in 2022 .

This information was given by DoNER minister G Kishan Reddy in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The DoNER minister also informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of 145 projects worth Rs 3392.98 crore were approved/ sanctioned for NE states under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) between the year 2017-18 and 2022 23 .

The projects sanctioned under NESIDS during the last five years are at various stages of implementation and release of funds to the states for these projects depend upon pace of execution by implementing agencies on receipt of utilization certificates of previous releases.

The minister also informed that regular follow up with state and central ministers was done to expedite the completion of ongoing projects and submission of utilization certificates so that liabilities could be cleared expeditiously.

As per a data tabled by the DoNER minister in the Rajya Sabha, Manipur is yet to submit utilization certificates for Rs 3.09 crore released in the year 2019-20 for construction of toilets and rain water harvesting facility at 52 Anganwadi centres in Chandel district.

Out of Rs 53.40 crore released in the year 2020-21 for construction of Mayang Imphal district hospital in Imphal West district, utilization certificate for Rs 20.74 crore had been submitted to the ministry.

The ministry allotted a project worth Rs 19.25 crore for strengthening Covid-19 testing (RT-PCR, RAT and Truenat) in the year 2021-22 for Manipur but the state is yet to submit utilization certificate for the project till date.

Despite the release of Rs 4.25 crore for purchase of 17 ALS ambulances for 16 districts of Manipur, the.state is yet to submit utilization certificate to the ministry.

For the purchase of 2000 oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators, the ministry released Rs 18.78 crore in the same year but Manipur government is yet to submit utilization certificate till date, the DoNER minister informed the Rajya Sabha.

The data tabled by DoNER minister also said that Manipur is yet to submit utilization certificates for some projects for which funds had already been released in the year 2021-22.The projects include installation of liquid medical oxygen tank and three vapourisers at JNIMS worth Rs 18.78 crore, construction of maternity and child hospital in Imphal East district worth Rs 34.65 crore, infrastructure development in and around the polo ground at Ibudhou Marjing, Heingang, Imphal East worth Rs 4.37 crore and development of trauma care centre at CHC Nungba worth Rs 3.79 crore.

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