Chairing a conference on “Leveraging externally aided projects in the northeastern states” here, she said that assistance under the externally aided projects (EAP) in the northeastern region has seen a seven-fold rise under the Narendra Modi government.
“The scale of support to the Northeast had increased from around Rs 9,000 crore during 2004-2014 to nearly Rs 76,000 crore between 2014 and 2026,” the Union minister said.
Highlighting that farmers, artisans and the youths in the northeast have historically faced greater challenges in reaching markets, Sitharaman asserted that the Centre has made infrastructure and connectivity the cornerstones of its development agenda for the region.
“More than 10,000 km of roads have been built in the region since 2014 at a cost of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. Another 5,000 km of highways are currently under construction,” she told the conference.
Describing the Northeast as “blessed as few places on earth are”, the Union finance minister said its breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural resources and hardworking people deserved better market access and visibility.
She said the region possesses enormous natural and human potential, but the key challenge is converting that into prosperity.Sitharaman said EAPs not only bring financing but also international best practices in project design, procurement, environmental safeguards and community participation.
“When we speak of EAPs, we are not speaking of loans or project costs but of a development model that combines central support, state execution and global expertise, all for local communities,” she said.
“They bring innovative technologies and tested models because institutions like the World Bank and IFAD work in difficult geographies and bring their experience for our benefit,” she said.
Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the region over 75 times since 2014 and Union ministers more than 700 times, Sitharaman said no northeastern state should have to go to Delhi seeking support.
Development should be driven by outreach rather than requests, she stressed, adding that the Modi government has placed connectivity, infrastructure and sustained political engagement at the heart of the northeast’s development.