Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia underscored the need to develop world-class tourist circuits across the North Eastern Region (NER) while advocating for a bottom-up approach to create an inclusive and sustainable tourism vision. The Minister participated in three High-Level Task Force (HLTF) meetings held on Monday to review progress and chart future strategies for the region’s integrated development.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of DoNER had constituted eight High-Level Task Forces, each chaired by one of the Chief Ministers of the North Eastern States, with the Union DoNER Minister and three other Chief Ministers as members. The initiative, born out of the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in December 2024 at Agartala, aims to enhance inter-state collaboration, align policies, and ensure that developmental efforts are regionally integrated rather than state-specific.
The meeting of the HLTF on the North East Economic Corridor, chaired by Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma, saw active participation from Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Preston Tynsong, Assam Minister for Industries & Commerce Chandra Mohan Patowary, and Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel. A comprehensive roadmap was presented to address critical challenges related to infrastructure, connectivity, and trade facilitation across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons.
Key areas discussed included the development of road and rail networks, air connectivity, inland waterways, energy and digital infrastructure, trade corridors, and border trade facilities. Member states – Meghalaya, Assam, and Manipur – offered valuable inputs during deliberations. Appreciating the depth of the discussions, Scindia urged the Mizoram Government to submit the final HLTF report after incorporating the feedback received.
The HLTF on Tourism, chaired by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, was attended by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
Presenting a preliminary report, Sangma outlined key findings, challenges, and recommendations for developing tourism across the North East. Scindia emphasized the creation of world-class tourist circuits to position the North East as a premier destination, both for domestic and international travelers. He called for a bottom-up planning approach to craft a long-term vision plan that would also attract tourists from neighboring countries.
Shekhawat highlighted the promotional and infrastructure initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism in the region and reaffirmed that tourism remains a key driver of economic development in the North East.
The HLTF on Agriculture and Horticulture, chaired by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, also saw participation from Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, and Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Gabriel D. Wangsu, alongside senior officials from DoNER, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Food Processing Industries, APEDA, NABARD, and other stakeholder agencies.
The meeting reviewed progress on ongoing agricultural and horticultural initiatives and explored strategies to enhance value addition, processing, and market linkages for key produce. Discussions focused on the development of integrated cold chain infrastructure, promotion of organic farming, cluster-based cultivation, and the creation of a unified “Organic” branding for region-specific products.
Scindia stressed the importance of economic value addition through state-level interventions, recommending short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to strengthen public sector undertakings and ensure sustainable development in the region’s agri-horti sector.