Union DoNER minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said the Northeastern region will lead the growth story of India when the rest of the world is looking for economic resurgence through trade in post-pandemic times.
Union minister Singh said this while speaking at the valedictory session of the 69th plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong on Sunday.
The 69th plenary session of the NEC was inaugurated by the Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday.
The two-day NEC plenary focussed on all-round developmental plans for the Northeastern region and discussed about the progresses made so far of the various projects that have been implemented in the region.
Augmenting investments and improving rankings on ease of doing business also got deliberated upon prominently. In various technical sessions, discussion centred on the developmental projects related to livelihood, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, connectivity and other related areas in the Northeast.
Also read: Home Minister Amit Shah attends 69th Northeastern Council plenary session
Addressing the valedictory session, Union minister of state (independent charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing the Northeast region and bringing it to the level of the other developed states.
Singh acknowledged that the Northeast has been put on a fast track of development under the leadership of the PM during the last six-seven years and this bears evidence in the form of the unanimous opinion across the country that Northeast has been put on a very fast track.
He also added that the expectation is very high and the PM wanted to achieve more than what have been achieved so far.
Singh expressed his belief that with the dedication of all the states and the different ministries, Northeast will be able to overcome all challenges in the near future.
He said he takes pride in having been able to walk the talk and live up to the expectations, in fact, rising above all other expectations with the help of the DoNER ministry’s colleagues and all the stakeholders.
“Dr Singh patiently heard the presentations that were made by the senior officials of various ministries and departments of the Central government and requested the secretaries of the ministries to offer all possible assistance to the states of the Northeast,” DoNER ministry stated.
“Dr Singh said the Northeastern region will be one of the favourite business destinations of India post-COVID-19 and bamboo is going to be the key pillar of the economic activities,” he said.
He however asked all the states to equip themselves up to make optimum use of the favourable condition that the Northeast will have during the post-COVID period.
The minister urged all the states to utilise the funds that have been allotted by various ministries so that the benefits of the schemes reach to the last person.
The minister said the rate of utilisation of funds under NEC has been encouraging and hoped that funds under other ministries allotted to the region shall also be brought to optimum utilisation.