NE industries ministers to meet tomorrow

Guwahati, Sep 11 (UNI) Industries ministers of all the eight north eastern states, including Sikkim, will meet here tomorrow to chalk out a common strategy to be submited to the Centre for the region's industrial rejuvination.

Asom Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi told newsmen here today that the Centre's present industrial policy, granting special package to the region for industrial growth, will expire in 2007.

The same policy, awarded for Himachal Pradesh too, has already been extended by another three years till 2010, he informed.

He said the same packages granted to N E region and Himachal Pradesh will not work as industrialists prefer to invest their money in Himachal compared to the region,located in a far-flung part of the country.

The industries ministers of the region have thus decided to meet here tomorrow to finalise a common strategy which would be submitted to the Centre,he said.

A delegation of the industries ministers will also submit a common strategy to the prime minister with a copy to the finance and commerce ministers soon, he disclosed.

The meeting will try to develop a consensus on the issue of new industrial policy for the region with "additional and better incentives". ''We want the extension of the industrial policy for the region with better incentives and additional incentives for more than ten years till 2017,'' he added.

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