Marching towards sustainable growth: Tripura to host 1st meeting of newly constituted NITI Forum for North East
Tripura, April 9: Tripura set to host its 1st meeting of newly constituted NITI Forum for North East which will be held in Agartala, tomorrow, 10 April 2018. The theme for the first meeting focuses on identifying different constraints and streamlining resources for the prosperous North East.
The ‘NITI Forum for North East’ was constituted in February 2018 with an aim to ensure sustainable economic growth of the North Eastern Region (NER) of the country and periodically review the development status in NER.
The meeting will be chaired by the Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, Rajeev Kumar and the co-Minister of State, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh. Chief Ministers of NE States and leading lights from the region will attend the deliberations.
Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog and Shri Jitendra Singh, MoS, Ministry of DoNER addressed a press conference at NITI Aayog in the capital today ahead of departure to Agartala.
Emphasizing the need to identify constraints, streamline resources and add renewed focus on the NER, the Vice-Chairman and the Minister spoke about Moving towards a prosperous North East Region, the theme for the first meeting.
The broad agendas for the First Meeting include among others,
• Strategies for improving Road, Rail and Air Connectivity in the North East Region
• Realizing the Hydel Dream – Way Forward for utilizing existing potential for hydro-power in the NER
• Agriculture and allied sectors
− NE States to encourage Organic Farming
− Cultivation of Vegetables, fruits, Spices, medicinal plants
− Soil Health Card for farmers
− Minimizing post-harvest losses
− Increased coverage under Crop Insurance
− Milk production to be boosted
• Water Management
− Early completion of on-going irrigation projects
• Promotion of Tourism
− Promotion of Eco-Tourism, Rural Tourism and Adventure Tourism
− Strengthening of North East Tourism Development Council (NETDC)
− Organically-themed Home-Stay Tourism (as in Sikkim) may be encouraged in other NE States
− The NETDC to work closely with NE States for tourism promotion
• Identifying and targeting early bird projects in areas of connectivity, agricultural productivity and industrial development to give fillip to growth in the NER.