The North Eastern Region (NER) of India suffers from a connectivity bottleneck due to its geographical isolation and infrastructural gaps. Critically examine the challenges in infrastructure development in the region.

Answer: Model Answer approach

The difficulty of infrastructure development in India’s NER is one of the two primary parts of the question. measures taken by the government to improve connectivity in India’s NER.

Introduction: You can discuss NER’s location in India in your writing.  

• The NER is connected to the Indian mainland via the ‘Chicken’s Neck,’ a short section of the Siliguri Corridor in North Bengal. Compared to the rest of India, the area has a lower average road density. The North Eastern Region’s Ministry of Development was established to provide the infrastructure necessary for the region’s economic growth.

Body: The NER of India’s infrastructure development difficulties. The government’s initiatives to improve connectivity in India’s NER

• The region has long transportation times to the marketplaces of the other states in the nation because of its rough terrain and poor connectivity. Only 28% of the territory is made up of plains, which are home to the majority of the region’s inhabitants. The remaining 72% of the region is made up of mountains, hills, and plateaus.
• Delays in the NER’s land acquisition for highway projects are a cause for concern. For instance, the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule limits state power over land use and gives District Councils autonomy.

In conclusion, you might emphasize how important infrastructure development is to India’s future development.

• To reach India’s 2047 economic goal of $40 trillion and to move from a developing to a developed economy, infrastructure development is essential.

Practice Question

Question: Enumerate the measures taken by the Government of India to improve connectivity in the North Eastern Region (NER). How far have these measures succeeded in addressing the structural challenges of the region?

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