NEW DELHI, Jan 8 � Faced with a serious resource crunch in executing national projects, an inter-ministerial consultation process has been initiated for enhancing gross budgetary support for the 11 national projects in the Northeast.
A majority of the ongoing railway projects in the Northeast, including the national projects, have suffered time and cost overrun.
According to a report on the status of the ongoing railway projects, electrification work is in progress and is to be completed by October, 2015. The electrification project would cover Jorai-New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Guwahati section, a part of the sanctioned Barauni-Katihar-Guwahati sector.
While the Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge was scheduled to be completed during the year 2012-13, it missed the target. The much-hyped electrification project though is now likely to be completed by October 2015.
Sources said that the Railways Ministry has started the consultation with Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance to enhance the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) to ensure that the committed fund is sanctioned according to approved Plan size.
In addition, the Ministry of Railways is also pursuing for funds for the national projects through a separate head, over and above the GBS. A note for additional funds for new lines as national projects have been circulated for inter-ministerial consultation, the sources added.
The possibility of additional funds for the projects of new lines and gauge conversion at revised estimates stage would be governed by corresponding savings within the grant by way of under-utilisation of funds, if any, in projects of doubling, workshops, dedicated freight corridor, metropolitan transport projects and others.
According to the report, out of the total allocation of Rs 6,100 crore for new line projects in 2013-14, Rs 2,200 crore have been provided for national projects in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.
