'Govt taking steps to stop pilferage of funds for northeast'

Government has taken a number of steps to stop development funds, meant for the northeast, going into wrong hands like terrorists, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh said today.
Addressing a press conference here after the 64th plenary session of the North Eastern Council, Singh said he was aware of development funds going into wrong hands in the northeast.
"We are taking a number of steps. We have to check pilferage of all funds and ensure that the money goes to those for whom it is meant," he said.
Singh, who is also the chairman of the NEC, said his DoNER ministry was also taking a number of steps to ensure accountability and bring transparency while implementing various development projects in the region.

At the NEC meeting, the Minister said it was unanimously resolved and recommended to break up tenders into smaller packages not exceeding Rs 50 crore to enable reliable local contractors to participate and build their contracting capacity.
Singh said the Railway Ministry will complete the much-delayed Bogibeel bridge over Brahmaputra by June 2017.
With regards to improving the credit deposit ratio in the North Eastern Region, Reserve Bank of India has advised banks to set up a special sub-committee of district consultative committee in districts having CDR less than 40 in order to monitor the CDR and draw up monitorable action plans to increase the CDR on a self set graduated basis, he said.