Shillong: The North Eastern Council is cracking down. Government officials now threaten to foreclose on development projects across the Northeast if states fail to hit their deadlines. They will recover all sanctioned funds from any state that misses its mark. This includes timeframes already extended by the government.
NEC Secretary Satinder Kumar Bhalla says projects will close on an as-is basis. In some cases, agencies must cough up a full refund. He noted that the public has a right to verify where the cash goes. "The people of the Northeast deserve to know whether funds earmarked for the region’s development are actually benefiting them," Bhalla said.
Foreclosures remain rare. Out of 300 to 400 total sanctioned projects, the agency has only shuttered three or four. That is less than 0.1 per cent of the total load. Bhalla blames these failures on land disputes, local obstacles, labor shortages, and ownership issues common in the region.
The NEC changed its game over the last decade. Reforms during the past two to three years now include satellite imagery, mobile apps for photos, and artificial intelligence via the North Eastern Space Applications Centre. Officials monitor site progress every six to eight months. They also use third-party inspections to verify quality.
Bad weather and geography still hinder work. Builders only have roughly six months of effective work time each year. Despite these constraints, the agency expects most current projects to wrap up within two to three years. They aim to make every rupee count.
Comments