Chumukedima, Nagaland, February 1 (HBTV): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Parliament on Saturday. While there are no state-specific thrust areas that are mentioned in the budget, except for Assam, the Northeastern states will be getting two developmental spots covered by two schemes.

The first is the civil initiative scheme Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik or UDAN - Regional Connectivity Scheme: The UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes. Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry approximately four crore passengers in the next 10 years. According to the budget, the scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts.  

The second developmental input the Northeastern states have received in the budget is the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, an integrated nutrition support program: The Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme provides nutritional support to more than eight crore children, one crore pregnant women and lactating mothers across the country. It also covers approximately 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the north-east region. The cost norms for the nutritional support will be enhanced appropriately, the budget states. 

Assam has found a mention in the budget. The state will receive a Urea plant: For Atmanirbharta in urea production, the government had reopened three dormant urea plants in the eastern region. To further augment urea supply, according to the budget, a plant with annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons will be set up at Namrup in Assam.