New Delhi: Shillong MP Vincent H Pala unanimously became the Convener of the North East MPs Forum (NEMPF) in its first reconstituted meeting held on Tuesday in the Parliament House Annexe here where the members of parliament, from both houses cutting across their party lines, attended.
The MPs deliberated on the common issues concerning the Northeastern region and discussed on the way forward to strengthen the Forum, informed a press release issued after the meeting. While the meeting was convened by Pala, it was chaired by former MP (Rajya Sabha) Bhubaneswar Kalita from Assam.
PD Rai, former MP from Sikkim and former Secretary General of the Forum, who was a special invitee to the meeting, gave a brief presentation about the origin of NEMPF in 1999 under the leadership of late Purno A Sangma.
“NEMF has made considerable strides in taking up some of the pressing issues of the region and has also provided a much-needed platform for the region’s MPs to network and cooperate,” Rai said.
Pala, in his speech, highlighted the need to engage and support the PSUs operating in the region and called for more interactions to take the agenda of North East’s development ahead.
The NEMPF, which includes all Members of Parliament from the eight states of North East in both houses of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, will formally meet during next session of the Parliament to elect its other office-bearers.
