Union govt takes significant steps to make North East 'driver of India's economic activities': Pralhad Joshi

Darrang (Assam) [India], March 27 (ANI): Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said the Central government has taken significant steps to make North East a 'driver of India's economic activities'.

"The government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken significant steps to make North Eastern India a driver of India's economic activities. Budget allocation to the North-East region has doubled in last seven years," Joshi said.

During his second day of visit to Assam, the Union Minister on Sunday visited Assam's Darrang district and announced CSR projects worth Rs 2 crore in Darrang to be implemented by Coal India Ltd.
The Minister said that aspirational districts should compete with each other in terms of development activities.

"Darrang is one of India's aspirational districts under the Aspirational district's Programme launched under the visionary leadership of PM Modi. These CSR projects of Coal India Limited will help in providing better education and healthcare to the people of Darrang," Joshi said.

Under the CSR projects announced by the Union Minister, CIL will help construct additional classrooms in 19 government schools of Darrang and take up 5 projects for the improvement of healthcare infrastructure at different government health centres in this aspirational district.

Coal India has either taken up or completed 7 CSR projects worth around Rs 23 crore for inclusive development of Assam in the last five financial years starting from 2016-17.

Out of these 7 projects, 4 projects namely financial assistance for setting up of Solid Waste Management plant in Kamakhya, Promotional and preventive healthcare through increased awareness in rural population, Promotion of preventive healthcare through NILA and Provision of water Ambulance in Majuli have been completed.
Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for financial assistance for setting up 40 bed ICU facility at Government Medical Hospital, Silchar has been signed and the remaining two projects namely Financial assistance for Rehabilitation and livelihood development at Majuli and Financial assistance for skill training of 50 students conducted through CIPET Guwahati are going on.

Coal India's total project outlay of CSR projects in the North-East region has been over Rs 25 crore in the last five years.

Coal India's CSR expenditure remained at Rs 554 crore in 2020-21 against the budgeted amount of Rs 434 crore. Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of India's coal production.

He also reviewed the development activities being carried out by the Darrang district administration and assured all-out support of the Central Government for such activities. (ANI)