NEW DELHI, March 2 � The 24X7 North-east Channel will soon become a reality, with the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) clearing the proposal to set up the channel announced last August, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said.
In a document, �Implementation of Budget Announcement 2014-2015 tabled in the Parliament�, Jaitley said that the decision had been conveyed to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, while Prasar Bharati had been informed last September.
The Budget proposal was to set up a 24-hour channel exclusively for the North-east and the channel would be called Arun Prabha. The channel is envisaged to provide a strong platform to the rich cultural and linguistic identity of the North-east.
About the implementation of the railway projects, the report said there are 19 railway projects under way in the north-eastern region, of which nine are national projects. With higher and assured allocation and by close monitoring of works, two new lines have been completed. The lines include Harmuti-Naharlagun and Dudhnoi-Mendipara linking Meghalaya.
A gauge conversion project (510 km) Rangiya-Murkongselek has also been completed and the full section will get commissioned during the current year. The Lumding-Badarpur-Silchar leg of the ambitious gauge conversion project will connect the Barak Valley.
The Finance Minister had said in his Budget speech last year that the north-eastern region had suffered from under-development and a sense of isolation due to lack of proper connectivity. Development of the rail system was urgently required to bridge this gap. The Budget had made a provision of Rs 1,000 crore over and above the amount provided in the interim Budget.
Significantly, in a Lok Sabha reply to a question by Gaurav Gogoi, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said that none of the 12 railway projects in the North-east was financially or commercially viable and all these projects had been taken up on socio-economic considerations.
Railways have taken up 12 new lines, including four gauge conversion and two doubling projects in the region at a cost of Rs 45,128 crore.
Meanwhile, in keeping with its commitment to promote organic farming, the Finance Minister had announced allocation of Rs 100 crore to the DoNER Ministry for promotion of organic food, last fiscal. However, the DoNER Ministry could spend only Rs 33 crore. This year�s Budget has made a provision of Rs 125 crore.
