NEC to give priority to HIV/AIDS projects in NE

Aizawl, Nov 29 (UNI) North Eastern Council (NEC) today announced that it would lay emphasis on the projects meant for curbing HIV/AIDS in the northeastern states.

During a review meeting on NEC-funded projects here, Council Secretary H V Lalringa said considering the increasing incidence of HIV cases across NE states, the NEC had decided to encourge good projects to curb the menace.

"NEC would immediately release the money for such projects provided it should be genuine", he added.

Mr Lalringa also mentioned that NEC monitoring committee would closely watch the projects especially undertaken by the non-government organisations in the region.

Apart from that, NEC would concentrate more on the health sector in the next financial year, he said, adding for that the council would approach the Cntre to allocate more funds.

According to North East India Harm Reduction Network (NEIHRN), leading NGO working on HIV/AIDS, in Manipur alone 22,402 were HIV positive while in Mizoram (1,700), Nagaland (1,903) Asom (750), Tripura (278), Mehalaya (70) and in Sikkm 34 tested positive for HIV UNI SNR KD BS1417