Steel Minister Birendra Singh focuses on connectivity in North-east

Aizawl, Apr 11: Union Minister of Steel Birendra Singh on Tuesdya stressed the importance of connectivity in the north-east for development of the region.

Addressing a workshop on development of rural sector by enhanced steel usage in infrastructure and housing besides increasing income from agriculture and horticulture in Aizwal, Singh said that the use of steel gets prominence and good connectivity should be the primary consideration for the states like Mizoram and other NE states also.

The Union Minister said that Mizoram is in that part of the country where every crop is organic and agriculture is free from the intervention of the middleman.

The workshop was jointly conducted by MSTC and RINL, public sector enterprises under Ministry of Steel, Government of India, at the Aijal Club, Khatla, Aizawl, Mizoram.

H Rohluna, Minister for Commerce and Industries, and Ruchika Chaudhary Govil, Joint Secretary for Steel Ministry also addressed the workshop.

The workshop was inaugurated by B B Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of MSTC and P Madhusudan, Chairman and Managing Director of RINL spoke on the challenges and opportunities for steel usage in the region.

The workshop was organised to promote the use of steel in the region. Many important PSUs, students, architects and engineers attended the workshop to discuss contribution that can be made to Mizoram and other north-eastern states.

This region is rich in forest wealth which constitutes about 22 per cent of total forest area in the country. Agro-climatic conditions favour the growth of fruits, vegetables and spices. The enormous hydroelectric power potential and mineral wealth in the region has the potential to create a comparative resource advantage for private/public sector participation in manufacturing activity.