New Delhi: The Central government on Thursday announced a new flight to and from the North East during the plenary session of the North eastern Council here attended by governors and chief ministers of the region.
Union MoS for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh, held sector-wise discussions on the progress of major infrastructure projects in the North Eastern region in which various ministries gave PowerPoint presentations. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs delivered a presentation on Border Trade – status on Integrated Check-Posts (ICPs), Land Custom Stations, Border Haats, Banks and Visa facilities.
The Department of Financial Services gave a presentation on financial inclusion and banking services issues in the NER including Low Credit Disbursal Ratio (CDR) and Agri Credit.
On Friday, the governors and chief ministers of the N-E states will make their remarks.
Singh in his speech admitted that air connectivity has always been an issue for the North Eastern Region and announced a new flight between Kohima and Kolkata.
Elaborating on some of the innovative initiatives taken during the last few months, Singh referred to a unique practice of holding the Ministry of DoNER’s camp office by rotation in each of the eight North-Eastern States starting from February this year which has been designated as DoNER at Doorstep (DAD).
In addition to allowing closer interaction of DoNER officials at the ground level, he said, this practice will also help in sending a psychological message to the people of the North East that they need not travel to Delhi each time for redressal of their grievances but Delhi can also come to their door step.
Singh further reminded the members of the Council that the Central government has announced in the Union Budget 2015-16 that manufacturing hubs would be set up through Indian private sector participation in South East Asian countries which would boost trade and commerce between the landlocked North East and neighbouring countries.
Addressing the meeting, Union MoS for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said that the development priorities for a particular state should be fixed in consultation with that state. He said that politics should have no place in developmental activities and that there should be absolute coordination between the state governments and the concerned central ministries.
He said the NER has the potential to emerge as a trading hub and that the Union Government has the vision to ‘Look East through North-East’.
NEC Secretary Ameising Luikham presented his report on the activities of the Council during the preceding year which includes important events that have taken place during 2014-15, major initiatives, projects and schemes that have been taken up and some areas of concern requiring the attention of the members of the Council.
The implementation of the Annual Plan 2014-15 and the sectoral allocation for the Annual Plan 2015-16 were highlighted.
During the two-day meeting, the Annual Plan and the Gross Budgetary Support of the NEC for 2015-16 is expected to be approved.