Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme to give impetus to the development of the northeastern region. Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget for 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, proposed the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East (PM-DevINE) which will be implemented through the North Eastern Council (NEC), the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the region.

She allocated an initial amount of Rs 1,500 crore for the same. Under this scheme, Sitharaman said it will fund the infrastructure in the spirit of ‘PM Gati Shakti’ and social development projects based on the needs of the northeastern. This will enable livelihood activities for youth and women by filling the gaps in various sectors, she said.

“It will not be a substitute for existing Central or State schemes.” After the BJP took power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given special focus on the development of the region, especially on connectivity (road, rail, and air).