Latest news with #DevelopmentoftheNorthEasternRegion
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Rising North-East India: Frontrunner Of Development
Last Updated: PM Modi has embraced the region's potential through a comprehensive developmental project. The North-Eastern region of India, comprised of eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim—is renowned for its beautiful sceneries and exceptional weather. This region, rich in both natural and artificial resources, has recently gained prominence on the global stage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration of the 'Rising North-East' summit has spotlighted the region's potential, leading to Rs 4.3 lakh crore in investment interests, positioning it as India's next economic powerhouse. Modi has embraced the region's potential through a comprehensive developmental project. The Minister of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) highlighted eight key focus areas: agriculture, animal husbandry, sports, investments, economic corridors, infrastructure, textiles, and handicrafts. The North-Eastern region shares international boundaries with Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Thailand. Each state boasts unique cultures and traditions, making it a biodiversity hotspot and a culturally rich area. The region plays a crucial role in India's 'Act East Policy,' aimed at strengthening ties with Southeast Asia. With abundant natural resources and potential in agriculture and horticulture, the North-East is emerging as a hub for sustainable manufacturing and services. The region's diverse ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural landscape also makes it an attractive tourist destination, offering significant growth potential in tourism. Covering 2.6 lakh sq. km, the North-Eastern region accounts for 7.98 per cent of India's total geographical area and 3.78 per cent of its population. The terrain is a mix of hills and plains, with hills making up 70 per cent of the land. With a tribal population of around 54 per cent, especially in the hills, the region is home to approximately 135 Scheduled Tribe groups out of the total 705 across India. The area is rich in natural resources, including agro-horticultural and forest resources, hydroelectric potential, oil, natural gas, and minerals, making it ripe for investment and growth. Poor connectivity has historically hindered development, but transportation and infrastructure improvements are now a priority. The Indian government has launched several initiatives to enhance road infrastructure, such as the 3,000-km-long Trans Arunachal Highway in Arunachal Pradesh and the Dhola-Sadiya bridge in Assam, the longest in India. The Bharat Mala Pariyojana, a key highway development programme, aims to construct 35,000 km of highways across India, including significant projects in the North-East to boost connectivity and regional development. Air Connectivity New airports have been built, and existing ones upgraded, making air travel more comfortable and convenient. Incentives like reduced landing and parking fees have attracted airlines, increasing flight numbers. Improved air connectivity has made the North-East more accessible to tourists and businesses, boosting the local economy and regional growth. Rail Connectivity The Indian Railways has introduced special trains showcasing the region's cultural and natural heritage, promoting tourism and awareness. New and extended rail services have improved connectivity, contributing to economic growth. National Highways Expansion: India's National Highway network expanded from 65,569 km in 2004 to 1,46,145 km in 2024, with multi-lane stretches increasing from 18,371 km in 2014 to 48,422 km in 2024. Bharatmala Pariyojana: Launched in 2017, this programme aims to develop about 26,000 km of Economic Corridors. By November 2024, 18,926 km of roads were completed. Multimodal Logistics Parks (MMLPs): As part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, 35 MMLPs are planned with a total investment of about Rs 46,000 crore, expected to handle around 700 million metric tonnes of cargo once operational. Civil Aviation Growth: The number of operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to 157 by September 2024. In the North-East, operational airports grew from 9 in 2013 to 17 by 2023, leading to a 113% rise in traffic. The UDAN scheme added 194 fixed-wing and helicopter routes, boosting tourism, investment, and business. Arunachal Pradesh's first Greenfield airport at Hollongi, Itanagar, connects it to major cities. Inland Waterways Transport (IWT): A state-of-the-art IWT terminal at Jogighopa, Assam, connected to the Multi-Modal Logistics Park, serves as an international port for Bhutan and Bangladesh, enhancing logistics in the region. The development of National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra) and National Waterway-16 (Barak River) aims to reduce logistics costs. Urban and Industrial Growth: A semiconductor manufacturing plant is being established in Jagiroad, near Guwahati, Assam, in collaboration with the Tata Group. The first MMLP in India is under construction at Jogighopa, Assam, set to transform logistics, warehousing, and cargo movement. Policies and Schemes: Various state government initiatives like the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI) aim at developing industries and generating employment. The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) focuses on enhancing infrastructure related to water supply, power, connectivity, and tourism. The Ministry of DoNER has sanctioned 90 projects costing Rs 3,417.68 crore under NESIDS in the last three financial years. The Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) funds infrastructure and social development projects, promoting youth and women's livelihoods. The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan aims at strengthening multi-modal logistics and seamless freight corridors. Bharatmala Pariyojana focuses on expanding highway corridors, enhancing inter-state and cross-border trade. The 'Rising North-East' summit highlights the region's critical position in India, providing immense opportunities to drive the Indian economy. About the Author Monalisa Deka Monalisa Deka has done Ph.D. in Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, JNU New Delhi. tags : Northeast India view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 17, 2025, 16:14 IST News opinion Opinion | Rising North-East India: Frontrunner Of Development Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Gazette
08-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlights 'rapid growth' of Northeastern states fulfilling PM's resolve
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India] July 8 (ANI): Union Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Monday highlighted the rapid progress being made in India's Northeastern states and reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'resolve' to make the Northeastern region the 'growth engine' of India. Interacting with media on Monday in Indore, Scindia said, 'The Prime Minister's resolve is to make the Northeastern region the growth engine of India. The Government of India is working with that same resolve, based on which, whether it be social development or infrastructure, all eight states are moving forward with renewed enthusiasm.' Scindia noted that while the national GDP growth rate currently hovers around '6-7%', the eight Northeastern states are witnessing an impressive growth rate of '11-13%', reflecting the impact of sustained government efforts and targeted investments. He also cited the success of a major Northeast Investment Summit held on May 23. 'On May 23, an investment summit was organised for the Northeastern states. In that, an investment of Rs 4.18 lakh crore was secured for all eight states... There is full hope that our eight states will not only bring a new dawn for India but also for the Global South,' he mentioned. Meanwhile, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced multiple initiatives by the government to boost the waterways and maritime sector in the Northeast region. 'With an investment of Rs 5,000 crore earmarked, the Union Government has drawn up major initiatives in this regard,' Sonowal said. He said that, over the past 11 years, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has transformed India's maritime sector with record growth in cargo handling, capacity and coastal shipping. Major ports have nearly doubled their capacity, cruise tourism is rising with ambitious new terminals, and 50,000 youth from the Northeast will be trained for maritime jobs. 'Key legislative and digital reforms, green shipping initiatives, and projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are strengthening regional connectivity and trade. India's ports are now globally competitive, with nine ranking in the World Bank's top 100, and Visakhapatnam Port reaching the top 20,' Sonowal said. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said, 'Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have revitalised India's maritime sector as never before. From historic growth in port capacity and cargo handling to pioneering green shipping, cruise tourism and skill development for our youth -- these achievements reflect the Modi government's unwavering commitment to make India a global maritime powerhouse and drive inclusive development across every coastal and riverine region.' (ANI)
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Business Standard
04-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Northeast has tremendous capabilities, launch pad for global South: Scindia
India's northeastern states -- growing at between 11-12 per cent -- present "tremendous opportunity" as launch pad for all of global South, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said underlining its historic and "fundamental" significance in the economies and trade networks of the entire South-East Asian region. Scindia, who is Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and of Communications, has been actively driving initiatives to enhance connectivity, infrastructure and ecosystems across the northeast, positioning the region as India's next economic powerhouse, integrating all the eight states into a unified growth vision. Earlier this week, the minister met top honchos of India Inc., including Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla as well as Tata Sons' Chairman N Chandrasekaran in Mumbai, ahead of the Rising Northeast Investment Summit 2025 scheduled to be held in New Delhi this month. Discussions focused on region-specific growth sectors including agro-based industries, textiles, and tourism. In a recent interview to PTI, Scindia noted that the northeast has historically been a very fundamental part of economies and trade for the whole of South-East Asia. "It is important to keep in mind the history of the North is through the North-East that goods and services used to travel all the way up to Europe. I believe that the North-East Prime Minister's leadership, the concept of what used to be the last state has become today the first state," Scindia said. Scindia noted that the northeast, endowed with rich natural and human resources, is experiencing growth rates exceeding the national average by over 300 basis points, with each of the eight states growing at around 11-12 per cent. He emphasised that this positions the region as a strong launch pad for the entire 'Global South'. "I believe that today, as they grow, and their growth rates are in excess of 300 basis points of the national average... that each one of our eight states are growing at between 11-12 per cent. They present a tremendous opportunity for a launch pad for all of the global south. And that has been the Prime Minister's vision, which is what we are actualising on by the tremendous amount of investment into infrastructure, be it railways, highways, airports, waterways per cent of Gross Budget Support (GBS), which is close to one lakh crore, going into the North-East every single year," Scindia said. The northeast is undergoing a transformation, he said outlining the tremendous capabilities the region has. "So I think the capability of the northeast today is paramount. And we need to be able to actualise and make sure that we give them that launch pad, if you will, to be able to contribute to the nation's progress," he said.
