DoNER's plan to encourage investment in NE

Aizawl, Apr 16: Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has initiated a development plan to dispel problems like poverty and insurgency in the region.

DoNER officials here today said that the project was aimed at tapping the potential of the region to turn it into a prominent hub for international trade and commerce as well as transform it into the gateway to the South-East Asian countries.

The just-concluded Northeast Business Summit has also emphasised on this issue, besides internal security, the officials underlined adding, ''Unfortunately the Northeast figures only in connection with insurgency and it is extremely erroneous to do so. In fact, there are many areas here that are safer to invest than Noida and Delhi.'' They further stated that the Home Ministry has already taken decision to provide additional forces in the NE states to strengthen the internal security to ensure safety to the investors, while the problem areas, including poor infrastructure facilities, power shortages and lack of linkages to market would also be developed.

The Centre's investment in the Northeast is likely to go up to Rs 1.25 lakh crore during the 11th Plan and Government of India proposed to have 592 flights to link the region, which will be double from that of the current 226 flights, officials said.

The problems faced by NE states pointing towards lack of connectivity and high class infrastructure, they added that there is a possibility of having road links from Mumbai to Singapore through the region.

UNI