Environment Ministry Approves 29 Large Projects In Northeast

The Environment Ministry has cleared 29 large infrastructure projects in the Northeastern states over the past two years, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said that between April 1, 2023, and August 17, 2025, the ministry granted 29 environmental clearances (ECs) for projects in the Northeast.

Assam led the approvals with 17 projects, followed by Tripura with six. Meghalaya received three clearances, while Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Sikkim had one each.

Kirti Vardhan Singh explained that the ministry’s process for granting ECs involves site-specific scoping, baseline environmental studies, public consultations, and appraisal by expert committees.

These steps allow authorities to address ecological concerns before projects proceed.

The reply addressed concerns about climate change and its impact on agriculture in the Northeast.

While Singh did not directly reference a recent Jamia Millia Islamia report warning that climate change is lowering agricultural yields, he highlighted that the government has implemented several schemes to manage climate variability, erratic rainfall, floods, and drought-like conditions.

These initiatives include the National Action Plan on Climate Change, state-level climate plans, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture, and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the Northeastern region.

Singh added that the government is also working with state governments, ICAR, and agricultural universities to build adaptive capacities, promote sustainable practices, and safeguard food security in the region.

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