Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme, 2024 (UNNATI – 2024).
Status of Industrialization in Northeast India
Special Economic Zones (SEZs):
- There are 5 formally approved SEZs in the NER, out of which 4 are notified. However, none of the SEZs is operational.
- Specialized industries:
- Handloom and handicraft industries: It is one of the largest unorganized economic activities in the NER that provides employment for rural and semi-rural population.
- Bamboo industry: Nearly two-fifths of bamboo stock in India is concentrated in the NER.
- Rubber industry: Tripura is the chief production hub and has been declared the ‘second rubber capital of India’ after Kerala by the Indian Rubber Board.
- MSMEs: Number of MSMEs in NER are only 2.98% of total MSMEs in India and accounts for 2.62% of total employment.
- Assam has largest number of MSMEs in NER followed by Tripura and Meghalaya.
- Connectivity:
- Road Connectivity: Total length of national highway has increased to 16,125 Kms in the region.
- Inland waterways:National Waterway (NW) 2 from Bangladesh border to Sadiya on Brahmaputra is fully developed and 20 waterways of NER have been declared as National Waterways
- However, feasibility study for 18 waterways have not been yet completed.
- International infrastructure projects: There are several international infrastructure projects in different stages of implementation:
- India- Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
- Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project
- India-Bangladesh Protocol Route
- Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement (BBIN-MVA)
About UNNATI – 2024
- Ministry: Central Sector Scheme under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Objective: Development of Industries and generation of employment in the states of North East Region.
- Financial Outlay: More than Rs.10,000 crore from the date of notification for 10 years. (Additional 8 years for committed liabilities).
- Nodal Agency: North-Eastern Development Financial Corporation Limited (NEDFi) will be the nodal agency for the disbursal of incentives.
Other initiatives to promote industrialization in the Northeastern Region
- Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE): It envisages funding infrastructure, supporting social development projects, and generating livelihood opportunities for youth and women.
- North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS):A central sector scheme, approved during 2017-18 and extended till 2026. Its two components include:
- NESIDS (Roads) – to be administered by the North Eastern Council (NEC)
- NESIDS (Other than Roads Infrastructure (OTRI)) – to be administered by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER).
- Schemes of North Eastern Council (NEC): A central sector scheme for focused development of deprived areas; deprived/neglected sections of society and emerging priority sectors in the North eastern States.
- NITI Forum for North East: Forum examines various proposals both at the Central and the State levels and prepare plans for the speedy development of the North Eastern Region. o Forum proposed that the development projects in the NER would be based on the concept of “HIRA” (Highways, Inland Waterways, Railways and Airways).
- Digital North East Vision 2022: It identifies eight digital thrust areas – Digital Infrastructure, Digital services, Digital empowerment, Promotion of Electronics Manufacturing, Promotion of IT and ITes including BPOs, Digital Payments, Innovation & Startups and Cyber security.
- Special Accelerated Road Development programme for North East (SARDP-NE): Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways is implementing the SARDP-NE under Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase