Morung Express
Dimapur | May 25
Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio has expressed serious concern over what he termed as “persistent delays in the appraisal and clearance of projects” under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and North Eastern Council (NEC).
There is persistent delay particularly with projects concerning Nagaland, he maintained, addressing the 10th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, held in New Delhi on May 24.
According to CM Rio, project proposals from the State Government are often held up for several months at the appraisal stage, especially by NITI Aayog.
To buttress the claim, he informed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a Multi-Speciality Hospital in Chümoukedima under PM-DevINE took six months to receive approval, while the 50-bedded hospital at Peren faced a 10-month delay.
These protracted timelines severely hamper the timely execution of critical infrastructure, eroding public trust and derailing developmental momentum, he asserted.
Dr Rio also pointed out that in the North-East, the working season is limited to 6–7 months due to climatic conditions, and such delays cause cascading impacts including cost escalations, under-utilisation of funds, and missed opportunities to deliver essential services.
To this end, he urged NITI Aayog and all concerned agencies to ensure that appraisals, sanctions, and tendering are completed well before the onset of the working season—ideally by September.
This would ensure that projects can be implemented within the viable timeframe, Dr Rio urged, calling for collectively streamlining administrative processes to ensure timely and efficient delivery of development to the people.
