New Delhi: Under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, a dedicated Northeast Desk has been set up within Invest India,  which supports the North East States in their outreach activities to the investors as well as in facilitating and handholding select companies. 

The desk is working closely with One District One Product (ODOP), StartUP, and other sector desks of Invest India for their initiatives in the region. The Invest Northeast Portal, presenting investment opportunities in the region across sectors and States to both domestic and foreign investors, has also been developed.

The North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS), 2017 has come into force with effect from 01.04.2017 for a period of five years.  The scheme covers the manufacturing and service sectors of all the States of the North Eastern Region (NER), including Sikkim.  Various benefits provided under the scheme include: (i) Central Capital Investment Incentive for access to credit; (ii) Central Interest Incentive; (iii) Central Comprehensive Insurance Incentive; (iv) Income Tax Reimbursement; (v) Goods and Services Tax Reimbursement; (vi) Employment Incentive;and (vii) Transport Incentive.

There is an overall cap of Rs.200 crore per unit for benefits under all components subject to investment in Plant and Machinery. Till end-October 2021, a total of 391 new industrial units with a proposed total investment of Rs.2,631.19 crore have been granted registration under NEIDS. The total incentive envisaged for these industrial units amounts to Rs.1,740.06 crore.

In collaboration with the NITI Aayog, the 'NITI Forum for North East' constituted for accelerated, inclusive, and sustainable development in the North East Region has identified 5 focus sectors, viz. Tea, Tourism, Bamboo, Dairy, and Pisciculture.

The Government has been providing special emphasis to the development and promotion of tourism in the North-Eastern States. Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, sixteen projects with themes of Heritage, Wildlife, Spiritual, Tribal, Eco-adventure, etc with the total amount of Rs.1,337.63 crore have been sanctioned.  Under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme, the development of Kamakhya Devi Temple (Rs.29.99 crore) and Pilgrimage Facilitation at Nagaland (Rs.25.26 crore) and Meghalaya (Rs.29.31 crore) have been sanctioned. Further, Kaziranga National Park (Assam) has been identified under the Iconic Site Development Scheme.

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), under its various schemes like Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) and its successor North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), Schemes of North Eastern Council (NEC), and North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) has also taken steps to bridge the social and physical infrastructure gaps, which will promote investment in the North East Region. Under NLCPR – State Scheme, a total of 1,635 projects costing Rs.16,233.78 crore have been sanctioned, of which 1,194 projects costing Rs.9,424.11 crore have been completed till end-August 2021. Under NESIDS, 104 projects worth Rs.2,503.39 crore have been sanctioned till end-August, 2021. Under NEC, NERSDS, and NLCPR – Central, a total of 610 projects have been undertaken with approved cost of Rs.7,849.78 crore, of which Rs.5,916.71 crore have been released till the end-August 2021.

In addition, various Pan-India Schemes are being implemented in the North Eastern States for their sustainable development, e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Swachh Bharat Mission, etc. The NE Desk of Invest India under DPIIT has organized events like National Handloom Day and Business Conclave, in collaboration with industry associations, to promote investment opportunities in the region. 

This information was given by The Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Shri. G. Kishan Reddy in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.