NEW DELHI: The landlocked northeastern states are likely to have more connectivity, contact and trade with neighbouring South East Asian nations following the first ever chief ministers’ meeting with the Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj here on Friday.
Addressing the meeting, Swaraj said the northeastern states were active stakeholders in India’s Act East Policy.
“Greater connectivity and economic integration of the North East with its eastern neighbours was considered a key focus area for growth and development of the region,” she said.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the gathering that there were challenges in implementing Act East Policy and continuous engagement with other northeastern States and Centre is required to take the Act East Policy forward. This would boost trade and cultural relations with Asia-Pacific countries, he said.
Sangma also pushed the idea of state-level planning and action to chart out road map for effective implementation of Act East Policy.
The meeting assumed significance since India’s Act East Policy had received a major boost following the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, which was held in New Delhi in January this year.
Sangma also pointed out that often the entire North East has been clubbed as one region but every policy will not suit each other.
“Hence, a suitable approach was required, which can be arrived at with State level consultation and combined consultation amongst States which shares border with its neighbouring South Asian countries,” the chief minister said.
During the interactive session, the chief minister urged the Centre to enhance road connectivity in the North East with four-lane route among all the eight states of the region as well as with the neighbouring countries.
( “If road and air connectivity is improved, trade and commerce would increase, which will in turn boost the socio-economic condition of our people,” he added.
The meeting also deliberated on the northeastern region’s intra-regional and sub-regional surface and air linkages, focusing on seamless connectivity with its contiguous neighbourhood.
Continued development of relevant infrastructure both within the state and at international borders was also discussed with a view to enhancing trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people ties.
Livelihood opportunities will be created and our youth would be encouraged to take up entrepreneurial activities”, the Chief Minister added.
Talking about upgrading of Land Customs Stations (LCS) in Meghalaya, the chief minister suggested that if the LCS in the State were equipped with better infrastructure, it would facilitate export of products to the neighbouring nations, which will help the farmers of the State, who are largely dependent on agriculture and allied sectors.
The chief minister also urged the centre to provide adequate attention to build better infrastructure and logistic to facilitate storage of agriculture and other allied products including setting up of warehouse in Meghalaya and other parts of the region. There should be more such meetings, he suggested.
Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, Niti Aayog and Gen (Dr) VK Singh (retd), Minister of State for External Affairs, Foreign Secretary, Secretary NEC, representatives from concerned Ministries and North Eastern States were present in this meeting.
