MoS Dr Sukanta Majumdar highlighted strategic importance of NER
IH News Desk
AGARTALA, December 20, 2024: The 72nd Plenary Meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala has been a focus of pre-plenary thematic and technical sessions. Union Minister of State for DoNER Dr Sukanta Majumdar highlighted the strategic importance of the region, highlighting its unique geographical location at the confluence of India, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has been at the forefront of driving the vision of balanced, sustainable and inclusive growth for the region.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership the North Eastern States have seen a significant upsurge in focus and investment. The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme provides 100% central funding to State Governments for projects related to water supply, power, connectivity, tourism, and social infrastructure.
The Government of India has taken specific initiatives for improving connectivity within the region through programs such as SARDP-NE, Bharatmala-I, and the East-West Corridor program.
The Minister also announced that each NE State would have a visit of a Union Minister every 15 days to accelerate development and maximize the efficacy of government projects. He also highlighted the commitment of the central government to the region, stating that 74 Union Ministers have visited NER for more than 157 times from January, 2023 to March, 2024.
Despite the challenges faced by the region, the Minister emphasized the need for collective efforts from Central Ministries, State Governments, and other stakeholders to overcome these challenges.
Secretary NEC Angshuman Dey highlighted the importance of NEC Plenary meetings for discussing needs, challenges, and solutions for the North Eastern Region (NER). He highlighted four areas of importance for NER: Investment Policies/Programmes in NER States, Industry 4.0 for NER, Strengthening logistics in NER, and Inter-regional trade/import substitution/export.
In the technical session, discussions were held on six sectors fundamental for boosting the region's development: National Palm Oil Mission, 4G Saturation Project, Financial Inclusion, Road Connectivity, and PM Electric Drive Revolution. Dey highlighted the region's role in achieving Atmanirbharta in edible oil production, highlighting its potential across six NER states, encompassing 8.4 lakh hectares, 38% of the national potential.
Over 30 nurseries have been established with 30 lakh planting material.
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