Delay in EMRS projects at Tseminyu, Phek raised in Assembly

Delay in completion of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) projects at Phenshunya in Tseminyu district and Kade in Phek district was raised during the eighth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Raising supplementary questions to his starred query, JD (U) MLA Jwenga Seb expressed concern over the prolonged delay in the EMRS projects, stating that the work order for EMRS Phenshunya was issued in 2017 while that of EMRS Kade in Phek district was issued in 2016.
Seb sought clarification from the department on the sanctioned project cost for both the schools and the reasons behind the extended delay, observing that projects taking nine to ten years to complete indicated underlying issues.
He also asked whether the contractors had sought extension of time for completion and on what grounds such extensions were granted. The MLA further raised concerns over cost escalation due to the delay and asked whether provisions for enhancement of project cost were available and if contractors had sought revision of the sanctioned amount.
Referring to standard government procedures, Seb stated that tendering for centrally sponsored or state-funded projects was undertaken only after completion of structural designs, soil testing, preparation of detailed estimates and technical vetting by the competent authority. In this regard, he questioned why there was a reported change in structural design in the EMRS projects if the groundwork had already been completed before issuance of work orders. He also sought clarification on whether the original projects were submitted without complete structural designs or whether there had been a change in site location after sanction that necessitated redesign and fresh planning.
Emphasising the importance of the centrally sponsored scheme, Seb noted that EMRS was a 100% centrally funded project with even recurring expenditure borne by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He urged the government to ensure completion of the projects by April 2026 and that the schools be made operational by December 2027. Responding to the concerns, minister for Tourism and Higher Education Temjen Imna Along informed the House that multiple factors, including changes in structural design and revised central guidelines, had contributed to the delay.
He said the projects were sanctioned several years ago under the centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs when the programme was under the Planning department of the state government. Along said structural design modifications were required after verification by officials from the Ministry and soil testing and technical clearances were obtained only a few months ago following scrutiny by the Ministry’s technical team.
The minister said the initial sanctioned project cost during the first phase ranged between Rs 18 crore and Rs 22 crore, but later increased to around Rs 48 crore as the EMRS scheme was expanded as a flagship programme of the Government of India. He added that the transition from VAT to GST also created complications affecting earlier estimates and execution.
Along said the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was open to considering enhancement of project cost if legitimate grounds were presented. On the timeline, he said that giving a 100% assurance for completion by April 2026 might not be feasible due to time constraints and local challenges such as weather conditions, but the government would make efforts to complete the works within this year and ensure that the EMRS were made operational by 2027.