NEC projects in Nagaland mired in delays

DIMAPUR — Since 2017, the Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER), via the North Eastern Council (NEC), has allocated INR 51.53 crore to the Information and Public Relations (IPR) department in Nagaland for the purpose of funding 11 development projects.

Among the 11 sanctioned projects, only 2 have reached completion, while 5 others remain “ongoing” despite having passed their scheduled dates of completion.

As per data available on the DoNER portal, the completed projects include the North East Connectivity Summit, Kohima, organized by the government of Nagaland in 2017 at an approved amount of INR 10 lakh, and the “Construction of Cultural Complex at Aboi” in Mon district, which was sanctioned on March 14, 2018, at an approved cost of INR 2.5 crore. The scheduled date of completion for the cultural complex was March 14, 2022.

Among the projects that are unfinished despite passing the scheduled completion date is the “Setting up of Multi Media-cum-Convention Centre in Dimapur.” With an allocated budget of INR 10.52 crore and an intended completion date of April 11, 2020, this project remains unfinished, exceeding its deadline by four years.

The “Construction of Library-cum-Museum at Ungma” in Mokokchung district has also been delayed for four years, as the project, which was scheduled to be completed by April 11, 2020, is still “ongoing.” The project was approved at a cost of INR 4.21 crore and sanctioned on April 11, 2017.

Similarly, the “Abiogenesis Centre for Performing Arts and Culture in Dimapur,” sanctioned on July 3, 2017, at a cost of INR 1.49 crore and scheduled to be completed on July 3, 2020, is still ongoing. Another project for “Setting up of a Film Studio in Dimapur,” sanctioned on November 3, 2017, at an approved cost of INR 2.03 crore, is yet to be completed, though the scheduled completion date was fixed for March 31, 2021.

The data also revealed that a project named “The stories of our ancestors (narrative retelling by the Nagas of NE India)” was sanctioned on July 6, 2020, at an approved cost of INR 67 lakh. Though the project completion date was set for July 6, 2023, the project is still ongoing, with a financial expenditure of INR 9 lakh to date.

Meanwhile, the “construction of an amphitheater for cultural tourism at Surumi village in Zunheboto” was sanctioned on March 31, 2022, at an approved cost of INR 2.92 crore. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2025.

The construction of the Konyak Heritage Complex in Mon district was sanctioned on March 30, 2023, at an approved cost of INR 22.79 crore, and the project is ongoing, with the scheduled date of completion set for March 30, 2026. The financial expenditure from April 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024, for this project was INR 8.79 crore, according to DoNER data.

For the “construction of Naga Indigenous Inn-cum-Learning Centre at Phesama village in Kohima,” sanctioned on March 15, 2023, the approved cost was INR 1.67 crore. With the scheduled date of completion set for March 15, 2026, so far, the financial expenditure for this project is INR 77 lakh.

Another project sanctioned on March 31, 2023, is the “Nagaland College of Music and Fine Arts auditorium,” for which an amount of INR 2.63 crore has been approved. The total financial expenditure to date was INR 1.32 crore, and the completion date is March 31, 2025.