Background:
The Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central funding. PM-DevINE, was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region (NER). It will lead to creation of infrastructure, support industries, social development projects and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to employment generation.
Implementation agency.
The scheme is being implemented by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) through North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/ agencies.The 2022-23 to 2025-26 period has an approved outlay of Rs. 6,600 crore, with an initial allocation of Rs. 1,500 crore for FY 2022-23.
Scheme Duration
2022-23 to 2025-26
Objectives
PM-DevINE is aimed at rapid and holistic development of the North- East Region by funding infrastructure and social development projects, based on felt needs of the States. It will strive to fill the gaps in various sectors and will not be a substitute for existing Central and State Schemes. The objectives of PM-DevINE are:
- To Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti
- To Support social development projects based on felt needs of the North East
- To Enable livelihood activities for youth and women; iv. To Fill the development gaps in various sectors.
- To Fill the development gaps in various sectors.
Projects supported
The PM-DEVINE scheme outlines project size and support details. Projects should range from a minimum of Rs. 20 crore to a maximum of Rs. 500 crore in cost, using the latest Schedule of Rates (SOR) of the relevant central line department/State Government for cost estimation. In cases without available SORs, estimates can be prepared by concerned departments adhering to existing rules and practices of the relevant Indian Government line Ministry, followed by techno-economic vetting by reputable institutions or NEC.
Under PM-DEVINE, certain project types/components are ineligible, including those that provide long-term individual benefits or "Direct Benefit Transfer" elements. Additionally, projects already funded or planned by relevant line Ministries (to avoid duplication), land/site acquisition, and staff expenses are not covered. The scheme excludes projects for administrative buildings of government offices/agencies or institutional needs. Sectors already covered by other MDoNER schemes are also ineligible. Furthermore, any sector-specific projects specified in the Negative List by the Ministry of DoNER are not considered under PM-DEVINE.
Project Selection at MDoNER
Upon receiving project proposals or concept notes, MDoNER will promptly share them with concerned Central line Ministries/Departments, NITI Aayog, and IFD MDoNER (where applicable) for preliminary comments, to be received within 2 weeks. For projects in regulated sectors like power and water, input from relevant authorities may be sought. The preliminary comments are expected to address key aspects, including the possibility of funding under existing schemes, technology options, cost norms, convergence considerations for DPR preparation, and a general project recommendation for inclusion in PM-DevINE.
Identification and Formulation under PM-DevINE Scheme
The guiding principles for projects to be submitted by Central Ministries/ Departments and NER States to be funded under PM-DevINE Scheme are:
- The maximum and minimum amount which may be sanctioned under the PM- DevINE Scheme shall be Rs. 500 crore and Rs.20 crore respectively, in any one scheme, intervention or project.
- Each location-specific project would be counted as one; and clubbing many projects into one to increase the size of the project would not be acceptable.
- No Schemes creating long-term or permanent individual entitlements shall be recommended by the Empowered Committee.
- The North Eastern States will submit an annual list of proposals along with Concept Papers / Notes, for projects to be funded under PM-DevINE Scheme. Central Ministries/Departments or NEC, Shillong may also propose projects similarly, for funding under the PM-DevINE Scheme.
- NITI Aayog and MDoNER, in collaboration with UNDP, have prepared the NER District SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) Index (Baseline Report 2021-22), which inter-alia points the SDG gaps at district level in the Region. This Report (and its updates) would increasingly be used for project identification and formulation under PM-DevINE. The Concept Paper/ Notes of proposed projects would invariably include justification of the project also in terms of the identified SDG gaps.
- The State Governments will constitute a State Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) chaired by the Chief Secretary and comprising Planning, Finance and other concerned Secretaries of the respective State Government, as deemed necessary. The Ministry of DoNER will be represented in the SLEC by Sr. Economic Adviser / Economic Adviser / JS in-charge of PM-DevINE and the Financial Adviser (or his representative), DoNER.
- The list of projects of State or Central Ministries / Departments will be suggestive guides and the Empowered Committee will not be bound by that priority. Project acceptance would depend on its soundness in terms of its viability and tangible socio-economic impact.
- While projects and funding under PM-DevINE would be targeted to reach across all NER States to the extent possible, this should not, however, be an overriding constraint inhibiting sanction of projects and utilization of financial resources available in any year across the North-Eastern States.
- The cost indicated in the Concept Paper of the project shall be based on latest applicable Schedule of Rates.
- The costs towards land acquisition, relief and rehabilitation and staff establishment components will be inadmissible under the Scheme.
- The Empowered Committee will suggest a suitable mechanism for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the projects undertaken in PM-DevINE. However, O&M funding for any project will not be sought from Central Government Departments/ Ministries. O&M cost for the first 4 years after project completion may be made a part of total project cost.
- The Central Ministries /Departments or the State Governments concerned will prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the identified projects conforming to the Concept Note accepted. The cost of DPR preparation and its appraisal may be included as a part of the project cost. The Central Ministry/Department or the State Government will get the technical and economic appraisal done for the DPRs by institutes of national repute like IIT/IIM/NIT etc. In DPR, the provision and cost for evaluation of the project at the end of the completion of the project may be included. In case of projects with long gestation period, mid-term evaluation may also be provisioned. DPR must contain the quantified details for Output-Outcome deliverables including the number of beneficiaries, quantum of employment generation, etc. Further, it should also include Project sustainability and O&M components required for the sustainable project.
- The DPR of projects will be submitted along with appraisal report by a Central Ministry / Department or a North Eastern State Government to the Empowered Committee for its consideration. This must be accompanied with all regulatory and statutory clearances like forest & environment, land acquisition, non-duplication certificate, availability of stone quarry etc. whichever applicable.
- The Central Ministry / Department or the North Eastern State Government may also consider posing innovative projects with substantial socio-economic impact or sustainable livelihood opportunities for the general public (e.g., e- classrooms, heliports for boosting tourism, basic infrastructure in all Primary Health Care Centers, comprehensive facilities in Government primary and secondary schools, etc).
- One of the objectives of PM-DevINE is to fund infrastructure in the spirit of PM GatiShakti. For availing such funding under the PM-DevINE, NE Region States or Central Ministries / Departments should ensure inter alia the following institutional arrangement/ alignment to policy environment:
- Updation of required data layers on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP) including land revenue maps,
- Formulation of State Logistics Policy,
- Creation of administrative structures i.e. Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), Network Planning Group and Technical Support Unit.
Sanction of PM-DevINE Projects
- The DPR of the projects so prepared, together with the Appraisal Note, and recommendation of SLEC (if applicable) will be placed before the Empowered Committee for its appraisal and recommendation.
- The Empowered Committee will discuss the list of projects with the representatives of concerned line Ministries/Departments of Government of India and State Governments and will make suitable recommendations for sanction of identified projects.
- For the projects sanctioned under the PMDevINE Scheme, it should be ensured that there is no duplication with any other MDoNER scheme or those of any other Central or State Ministry/ Department.
- The recommendations of the Empowered Committee will be submitted to the Minister in-charge of DoNER for approval.
- After approval of Minister in-charge, the project will be sanctioned by issuing Administrative and Financial Sanction (AFS) of the project and release of token amount (Rs. 10 lakh) in consultation with the Integrated Finance Division of the Ministry of DONER.
- Work has to be awarded preferably within six months of the issue of AFS. In case no work order is received by the MDoNER within six months of the issue of AFS, the sanction of the project may be liable to be cancelled.
- There is a clear concept note enclosed with the project proposal and the DPR is duly vetted by an institute of repute and duly recommended by SLEC;
- All requisite documents, checklists and clearances as envisaged in the PM-DevINE guidelines for concept note stage approval viz. Annexure-B and DPR stage approval viz. Annexure-C are accompanied with the DPR.
- The cost for the DPR preparation and any associated cost with it shall be borne by the State Government concerned in case the DPR/ project is not recommended by the EIMC/ MDoNER, inter-alia based on the comments received from the Line Ministry concerned and NITI Aayog.
Implementation of Projects
- It has to be ensured that all projects are awarded on competitive bidding basis to ensure value for money to the Government. E-tendering process with two stage bidding shall Government. To be strictly followed as per existing guidelines of Central / State Government.
- To limit construction risk (risk of time and cost overrun) for the Government/ public sector, projects will generally be awarded on EPC (Engineering-Procurement- Construction) mode on fixed cost basis with liquidated damages.
- The latest General Financial Rules (GFR) of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, as applicable, shall be strictly followed.
- Time and cost overruns are to be avoided / minimized. Funding for cost overruns for any project shall not be sought from Central Government Departments/Ministries.
- To the extent possible, efforts should be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26, so that the committed liabilities beyond this year are minimized. This may imply front-loading of the sanctions and expenditure under the Scheme. Thus, the target for 2025-26 shall, as far as possible, be to obviate the need for new project sanctions in 2025-26 ; and focused attention be given to complete the already sanctioned PM-DevINE projects.
- A system of incentives and penalties based on record of project implementation (minimizing time and cost overruns) will be put in place. At the minimum, performance in project implementation will be taken into consideration while sanctioning new projects.
OUTLAY FOR ASSAM UNDER ROAD INFRASTRUCTURES
|
Sl No
|
Year
|
Outlayincluding State Part (Rs. In Cr)
|
AFS Issued (Rs. In Cr)
|
Balance Outlay(Rs. In Cr)
|
|
1
|
2022-23 to 2025-26
|
DoNER Part : 271.45
State Part : 106.03
|
377.48
|
0.00
|
