Tingplik Express

Kohima, May 13 (DIPR): The historic ‘Vision 2020’ document meant to achieve sustained development of the northeast region in the next 12 years, has been signed at the conclusion of the 56th Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala on today May 13. Union Minister of DoNER, Mani Shankar Aiyer, governors and chief ministers of north-eastern states signed the vision document at Prajna Bhawan to mark the beginning of an ambitious journey of the council.
Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer in his remarks read out the synopsis of the document meant to accomplish all-round progress of the region and also build up the NEC as an ideal regional planning body. Tripura Governor Dinesh Nandan Sahaya and the state’s chief minister Manik Sarkar spoke on behalf of the governors and chief ministers while Arunachal Pradesh Governor, General (Retd) J.J. Singh gave the vote of thanks.
The vision statement released on the occasion narrated salient features of the nearly one thousand page document in three volumes. The statement begins: ‘At independence, the north-eastern region was among the most prosperous regions of India . Sixty years on, the region as a whole and the states comprising it, are lagging far behind the rest of the country in most important parameters of the growth.’
The purpose of the vision document is to return the region to the position of national economic eminence it held till a few decades ago, accelerate the development process and to play vanguard of India’s Look East Policy.
Minister of DoNER, Mani Shakar Aiyer in a press conference later, added that the determination of the union government to close the gap between the rest of the country and the northeast region and take the latter to national economic eminence, is well evidenced by the decision to earmark 10 percent of the gross budgetary support given to all eligible ministries of the Union Government exclusively for the northeast despite the fact that proportionately the share of the population of the region is lower than the proportion of central financial resources being spent in the northeast and being maintained in the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) of the region.
He conceded that there is a mammoth task ahead to attain success of Vision 2020 which would shortly come under review of the Union Government. The minister said that the implementation of the vision would require Rs.13 Lakh crore (Rpt 13 Lakh Crore) in the next 12 years.
The minister further said that complete success of the Vision 2020 cannot be predicted well in advance, but it would surely change the face of northeast India.