- Why in news
- On 5 February 2026, the DoNER Minister told the Rajya Sabha that 30 NESIDS projects sanctioned over 2 years ago have more than 50% of cost unspent as on 31.12.2025. Ongoing liability stands at Rs 3,206.18 crore across 167 projects.
- What it is
- NESIDS is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of DoNER that funds infrastructure gaps in the eight North Eastern states. It supports roads and bridges, and social and physical infrastructure not covered by other schemes. States select projects according to their own priorities.
- Approval and restructuring
- Approved as a new Central Sector Scheme in 2017-18; split into two components in 2022-23.
- NESIDS (Roads)
- Gives gap-funding to NER states for roads and bridges not covered under any other central scheme.
- NESIDS (OTRI) sectors
- Covers primary and secondary health care and education, water supply, solid waste management, industry, civil aviation, sports, telecom and more.
- Who selects projects
- The concerned North Eastern state governments choose projects as per their priority.
- State-wise outlay weightage
- Each state's normative outlay is based on area, population, HDI, road density, village electrification, hospital beds per 1000 and household safe drinking water.
- Slow projects
- 3 Roads projects and 27 OTRI projects sanctioned over 2 years ago have more than 50% of cost unspent.
Don’t confuse with NESIDS vs PM-DevINE: Both fund infrastructure in the North East. PM-DevINE is a separate scheme launched later, with its own project mix; do not treat the two as one.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Gap-funding fills infrastructure deficits in remote, hilly North East states, supporting connectivity and social services.
- Weightage on development indicators directs more money to less developed states.
Problems
- Terrain, land availability, statutory clearances and financial closure delay projects, leaving funds unspent.
- Roads and bridges account for the largest liability (Rs 1,402 crore), showing a concentrated pipeline.
Way forward
- Closer monitoring of old projects and faster clearances, with state capacity building.
- Realistic project planning with timelines that account for terrain.
Put in your answer
Cause of delay: Terrain, land, clearances and obstacles drive the implementation period of NESIDS projects.
- 2021Mains GS3 · Q12Discuss infrastructure investment's role in rapid, inclusive growth, India's experience
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes for vulnerable sections
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting Central Sector scheme with two components; the release is mostly project data, so a question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.