Infrastructure Index For Northeast India

By Sushanta Talukdar

Guwahati, May 17 : In order to reduce intra-regional disparity and better targeting of schemes and projects in North Eastern States the Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has prepared a composite “District Infrastructure Index (DII)” for all the districts of the region.

The DII is based on seven broad indicators — transport facilities in terms of road density and road quality, energy, water supply, education, health facilities, communication infrastructure and banking facilities.

The Ministry has used the composite NER DII to give ranking from 1 to 80 to all the 80 districts (In all there are 86 districts in eight Northeast States. However, six new districts, four in Assam and two in Arunachal Pradesh have been clubbed with the old districts from which those were carved out, for the purpose of DII).

It has also prepared State-wise composite infrastructure index and district ranking on 14 indicators covering the seven broad indicators. Imphal West district in Manipur ranks first while Kiphire in Nagaland ranks the lowest rank 80 under the Indes.

Going by the district ranking South Sikkim district has the first rank with 7.07 banks per 100 sq. km, while Kolasib district in Mizoram has 80th rank with only 0.02 banks per 100 sq.km..

The ranking on density and quality of roads has West Tripura district having the first rank with 206.62 km of road per 100 sq. km, while Kurung Kumey district in Arunachal is ranked 80 with only 2.53 km road per 100 sq. km.

Similarly Serchhip district in Mizoram ranks first on village electrification with 100 per cent villages electrified while Dhemaji in Assam ranks the lowest at 80 with only 26.01 per cent villages electrified.

The Ministry will use the DII for final approval of the schemes and projects submitted by the States to be funded under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources.