DoNER To Foreclose Four Projects In Assam With Two In Dima Hasao?

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has scrapped four infrastructure projects in Assam worth nearly ₹20 crore, citing non-completion and abysmal progress. With the foreclosure, the state government will now have to refund ₹7.68 crore to the Centre—a glaring reminder of how development funds are allegedly being wasted while ground realities remain unchanged.

The blow has fallen heaviest on Dima Hasao, where two much-awaited drinking water schemes have been shelved.

The Haflong Water Supply Scheme, sanctioned at ₹1.42 crore, had received ₹0.65 crore but delivered next to nothing. The Empowered Institution Monitoring Committee (EIMC), in its latest review, has asked for the entire amount to be refunded.

The second, the Greater Mahur Town Water Supply Scheme, sanctioned back in 2006 at ₹5.12 crore, has turned into a textbook case of how projects allegedly rot over time. Despite funds of ₹1.61 crore being released, an inspection in late 2024 revealed a sorry state: the main water source at Nomjang was washed away, the Chemical House-cum-Laboratory was lying defunct, and no water treatment was taking place. The inspection gave it a humiliating outcome score of 5, after which the Assam government itself recommended foreclosure.

Two other road projects—one in Demow subdivision worth ₹7.60 crore and another linking NH-31 to Kashimpur Suplekuchi worth ₹5.63 crore—have also been written off.

This is not the first time. In recent years, DoNER has scrapped several schemes in Assam for the same reasons: endless delays, half-hearted execution, and lack of accountability. For districts like Dima Hasao, where potable water and all-weather roads are still basic demands, these cancellations are nothing short of alleged betrayal.

But here is the irony. While essential projects are collapsing, the state is allegedly pushing ahead with extractive ventures. The Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB) has announced a public hearing on September 23, 2025, for the proposed Garampani Coal Mine in Dima Hasao. Spread over 109 hectares, the project will be undertaken by Assam Mineral Development Corporation Limited (AMDCL).

Residents, NGOs, and local bodies have been invited to the hearing at Umrangso, where the company will present its Draft Environmental Impact Assessment.

So the story of Dima Hasao stands stark: crores sanctioned for clean water and basic roads have evaporated, yet coal mining allegedly finds a clear road ahead. For many here, the message is bitterly clear—public welfare takes a backseat, while the state’s priorities tilt towards projects that dig up resources rather than deliver on promises.

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