New Delhi, Feb 17 (UNI) Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the government has created an exclusive forum at the NITI Aayog to prepare plans for the development of the North East Region.
The forum would be co-chaired by the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog and Secretary of DoNER, an official statement said.
Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said that the forum would look at various proposals both at the central and the state levels and prepare plans for the speedy development of the region.
Highlighting measures taken for the development of the region during the last four years, Dr Singh said the 90-year-old "Indian Forest Act of 1927", which was a legacy of the British Raj, was amended through a decision of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a result of which "Bamboo", which was defined as a "Tree" under the Indian Forest Act of 1927, was changed, thereby doing away with the requirement of obtaining a permit for cutting of bamboo on non-forest land for economic use.
Another historic decision related to 100 percent funding by the centre for projects in the NER, which were earlier undertaken on the basis of centre-state sharing in the ratio of 90:10, he added.
He said, the government's Act East policy had enhanced the importance of the region in engaging with South East Asian neighbours.
Under Bharatmala Pariyojna, 5,301 km in NER have been approved for improvement, out of which 3,246 km marked for development of Economic Corridor in North East. Moreover, bidding process for the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway had also begun, the Minister added.
In Railways, gauge conversion had been completed. Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) rail link supported by Ministry of DoNER was at tendering stage.
In Civil Aviation, construction of the New Greenfield Airport at Pakyog (Gangtok, Sikkim) was complete and license from DGCA was awaited, Dr Singh added.
A detailed presentation was also made detailing various initiatives and achievements of the Ministry.
UNI RBE ADG 2004