Northeast key to ‘Act East’: Dr Jitendra Singh

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh flanked by the Director, Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer, Mumbai, Dr. R.A. Badwe and the Director, Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Dr. A.C. Kataki, during the signing of a tripartite MoU, in New Delhi on January 25, 2017.

The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Irani inaugurating the Apparel and Garment Centre, at Pachim Boragaon, Guwahati on January 28, 2017.

The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Irani addressing at the inauguration of the Apparel and Garment Centre, at Pachim Boragaon, Guwahati on January 28, 2017.

The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari lighting the lamp at the dedication of the New Brahmaputra Bridge to the Nation and the foundation stone laying of Development of River Barak as National Waterways No.16 Shipping and Navigation, at Guwahati on January 29, 2017. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal is also seen.

Ministry for Development of North-East Region
29-January, 2017 17:14 IST
NEC and Ministry of Textiles sign MoU to harness the hidden potential of Cane &Bamboo of NER

TheNorth Eastern Council (NEC) and the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)in Shillong today, to harness the hidden potential of Cane and Bamboo of North Eastern Region. The MoU was signedby the Secretary,NEC Shri Ram Muivah and Development Commissioner(Handicrafts) Shri Alok Kumar. The Union Minister of Textiles Smt Smriti Zubin Irani, Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr Mukul Sangma, Chairman, NEC &MoS (IC) for Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS for Home Affairs,Shri Kiren Rijiju, MoS for Textiles Shri Ajay Tamta and Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Dr ArvindPanagriya were also present on the occasion.

The MoU provides a push for the integrated and inclusive development of Cane & Bamboo Sector of North East Region by way of skilled manpower, technology dissemination, marketing support and institutional support required for the holistic development of Bamboo which can coordinate a mission to mobilise masses and promote Bamboo sector as a whole throughout the country.

The NEC and the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) will promote Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC), Assam and the Bamboo & Cane Development Institute (BCDI), Tripura, as the Centres of Excellence not only in the North East Region, but also in South East Asia.

As per the MoU, the CBTC will be transformed into a Regional Centre of Excellence and the BCDI will be converted as a separate entity under the name Indian Institute of Bamboo Technology (IIBT). CBTC and BCDI will collaborate for Institutional support for bamboo sector and will generate awareness and cultivating knowledge base among the masses about possibilities of sustainable utilisation of the raw materials cultivated by the sector.

CBTC and BCDIwill serve as a platform for generating and exchanging the knowledge base on the product development in Cane and Bamboo through the Discipline of Product Design and Innovation. The collective knowledge base of the sector would be documented and made available through library resources, multimedia, publications and online resources. The Discipline of Bamboo and Cane product Innovation will help in defining the criteria for Industry standards and certification in terms of Quality and protecting the geographical rights for traditional innovations.

To establish the presence of bamboo and cane as an economically strong industry, education will be imparted at various levels; to Craftsmen and Entrepreneurs, Designers, Farmers, Technologists and Marketing and Management professionals. Training programmes on subjects such as Entrepreneurship development among the artisan community with inputs in product innovation and design will also be provided in order to contribute in the up gradation of the socio economic status of the cane and bamboo industry in the region and at a national level. Inputs in business management and entrepreneurship development will also be a part of the curriculum. The knowledge base developed from such exercises will be fed into the educational programmes like

a) PG Diploma in Bamboo Cultivation & Resource Utilization

b) B.Tech Course in Cane & Bamboo Technology

c) Ph.D/Research Program

d) Establishing satellite Centres in the other NER states



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The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Irani, the Chairman, NEC and Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Dr. Mukul Sangma, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, the Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Dr. Arvind Panagariya and other dignitaries, at the inauguration of the first ever North East Investors' Summit, at Shillong on January 29, 2017.

Ministry of Textiles
30-January, 2017 19:32 IST
Meghalaya’s first ever Apparel and Garment Centre inaugurated at Ampati

Centre will create employment opportunities for both men and women of the region: Union Textiles Minister

Leverage handloom legacy, become enterprising entrepreneurs: Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, to youngsters of Meghalaya





The Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, along with Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr. Mukul Sangma, inaugurated the first ever Apparel and Garment Making Centre in Meghalaya, near Ampati in South West Garo Hills today, in the presence of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju.

Dedicating the centre to the people of Ampati in particular and to the state as a whole, Smt. Irani said that the project was testimony to the true convergence of efforts of Central and State Governments. She said that the Apparel Centre will create employment opportunities for both men and women of the region, thereby empowering them economically.

Smt. Irani informed that the Union Ministry of Textiles is implementing projects worth Rs. 70 crore in sericulture and weaving sectors for Meghalaya alone. The Textiles Minister said that around Rs. 32 crore has already been sanctioned for the state of Meghalaya, for promotion of handlooms. She appealed to the youngsters, particularly women, to leverage their handloom legacy and become enterprising entrepreneurs. As the region is well-known for regional dyes, Smt. Irani urged upon the weavers of the state to register with India Handloom Brand, which she said can directly connect the weavers with big multinational companies. The Union Minister said that once the centre starts functioning to its full potential, it will give an indication to investors across the country that the youth of the region are ready for economic engagement and expansion.

The sprawling Apparel and Garment Making Centre, covering an area of 45,000 sq. ft, has been set up at Hatisil near Ampati, at a cost of approximately Rs. 14.26 crore, under the North East Region Textiles Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) of the Ministry of Textiles. The centre has three units, two of them housing 105 sewing machines each, and the third one having seventy machines. The foundation stone for this centre was laid in 2015 by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, in the presence of the then Union Textiles Minister. Its construction was completed by NBCC, in a record time of less than two years.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma expressed his gratitude to the people of the region, for creating a conducive atmosphere and enabling completion of the huge infrastructure before timeline, without cost overruns. He expressed confidence that the garment centre at Hatisil would grow to become the most sought-after export unit in the state. He spoke of the advantage provided by the availability of international market in neighbouring Bangladesh, and the opportunity it offers in forging business partnerships with investors of Bangladesh. Stating that the weavers of the region are a ready workforce and that they only require advanced training, he highlighted the importance of providing training for their technological up-gradation.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the Centre has given special focus to Meghalaya, particularly Garo Hills, in creating job-oriented programmes. He added that there could not be a better programme for women than this, for promotion of textiles and handlooms in the state. Dwelling on the huge potential of the region, he said there was a need to create industries and employment opportunities to harness the potential of sectors such as like sericulture and weaving.





Minister for Sericulture and Weaving, Government of Meghalaya, Clement Marak; Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, Zenith Sangma and several other dignitaries and officials from both Central and State governments were present on the occasion. The inaugural programme was also attended by hundreds of weavers from various parts of the region.

Background
The Apparel and Garment Making Centre is being set up as part of a landmark initiative announced by the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Nagaland, on 1st December, 2014. The Prime Minister had announced that an Apparel and Garment Making Centre shall be constructed in all North Eastern states. Each Apparel and Garment Making Centre set up under the initiative is estimated to generate direct employment for 1,200 people.

For local entrepreneurs with requisite background, required facilities to start a unit will be provided in ‘plug and play’ mode. Once such entrepreneurs get established, they can set up their own units, allowing the facility to be provided to new entrepreneurs. The project will be fully funded by the Ministry of Textiles, with an estimated expense of Rs. 18.18 crores for each state. The initiative comes under the North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) of the Ministry of Textiles. NERTPS is an umbrella scheme for the development of various segments of textiles, i.e. silk, handlooms, handicrafts and apparels & garments.

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The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Irani accompanied by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Dr. Mukul Sangma and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurating the Apparel & Garment Making Centre, at Hatisil, Ampati, in Meghalaya on January 30, 2017.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurating the Mizoram Bio Resources Development Centre & Advanced State Level Biotech Hub, at Mizoram University, in Aizawl on February 14, 2017. The Finance Minister of Mizoram, Shri Lalsawta and senior officials are also seen.






The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing at the inauguration of the DigiDhan Mela, in Aizawl on February 14, 2017.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju addressing at the inauguration of the DigiDhan Mela, in Aizawl on February 14, 2017.

asad71 said:

And occupying BD is key to controlling NE. India plans to mount a parliamentary coup in Bhutan in 2019 and annex it like it did with Sikkim. 2019 is also the election year in BD. Whether such a parliamentary coup will be launched through SHW / BAL is to be observed.

Click to expand...

No thanks.

We have no interest in adding more people to 1.3 billion already here.

Keep your country to yourself.

Oh and we in Sikkim chose to be a part of India.

You just cannot handle the fact that why someone would voluntarily want to be Indian.

Ministry for Development of North-East Region
17-February, 2017 17:52 IST
Group of students from Nagaland call on Dr Jitendra Singh

The Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh met a group of students from Nagaland here today. The students are on a National Integration Tour from Medziphema (Nagaland) to Delhi and Jaipur which is being organised by 41 Assam Rifles. The students belong to School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASARD), Medziphema, Nagaland.

During the interaction, the students said that they appeal for peace in the state of Nagaland which is facing curfew situation for the last few days and during their visit to Delhi they are also carrying a message of peace. They also expressed happiness over their visit to the National Capital and shared their experiences with the Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said that peace is the prerequisite for any kind of development in any place. He said that he shares the concern expressed by the students about the situation in Nagaland. Dr Jitendra Singh said that youth are the most affected section of society due to any disturbance and the biggest stake for peace is for the youth.

Dr Jitendra Singh also conveyed good wishes to the students in their future endeavours. He said that the students should see diverse Indian culture during their visit to Delhi and Jaipur and share their experiences when they go back to their state.

The purpose of organising National Integration Tour is to give exposure to the students from North East and also to give them insight into the culture and tradition of the rest of India. The students have visited Akshardham Temple, Qutub Minar, Hauz Khas Village and Dilli Haat. They will also visit India Gate, Red Fort and some other places in Delhi before going to Jaipur, Rajasthan.

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The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a group photograph with the students from Medziphema (Nagaland), who are on the National Integration Tour organised by 41 Assam Rifles, in New Delhi on February 17, 2017.

Tshering22 said:

No thanks.

We have no interest in adding more people to 1.3 billion already here.

Keep your country to yourself.

Oh and we in Sikkim chose to be a part of India.

You just cannot handle the fact that why someone would voluntarily want to be Indian.

Click to expand...

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Sudarshan Bhagat laid the foundation stone of the seed processing cum storage unit at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Tripura Centre, in Lembuchera, Tripura on February 19, 2017.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Sudarshan Bhagat at a review meeting on the various programme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare implemented in Tripura with state Government officials, in Agartala on February 21, 2017.

Ministry for Development of North-East Region
23-February, 2017 16:38 IST
DoNER Ministry alongwith Tezpur University to encourage entrepreneurship in Northeast

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), jointly with the Department of Business Administration, Tezpur University and North Eastern Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi), is coming up with a Business Idea Challenge to encourage entrepreneurship in the North-East Region (NER). The annual industry-academia interface event “Sampark”, which will see the DoNER Ministry’s involvement for the first time, brings the spirit of entrepreneurship in the region.

The event will take place on March 3, 2017 and will be the 17th edition in the series. To encourage the students towards entrepreneurship, a Pioneering Business Idea Challenge 2017 is being organized as a part of the event. The contest is open to any student of North Eastern Region, having a business idea. The winners will not only receive prizes but also get a chance to present the ideas before the funding agencies for probable financing. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive Rs.20,000, Rs.15,000 and Rs.10,000 respectively. The contest is open till 26th February, 2017 and the details are available at Tezpur University website and at dare2compete.com.

Addressing a curtain raiser press conference at the University campus recently, Professor Subhrangshu Sekhar Sarkar, faculty coordinator, Sampark 2017 appreciated the efforts of DoNER Ministry, Government of India and said that the Ministry is very serious about promoting entrepreneurship in the NER and the event is expected to create a platform towards awareness and initiation for entrepreneurship development based on natural resources of this region.

Sampark 2017 will have different sessions to motivate the students to be addressed by established entrepreneurs, prominent start-ups. A session on Act East Policy (One of India’s foreign policy effort to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia) will also feature in the event. There will be an exclusive interaction where the funding agencies represented by respective heads of the NER will clarify various queries of the prospective entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Shri Naveen Verma, Secretary, DoNER, Government of India, will be the Chief Guest. Shri S.N. Pradhan, Joint Secretary, DoNER and Shri B. Paul Muktieh, Chairman and Managing Director, North East Development Finance Corporation Ltd. will be the other prominent dignitaries to grace the event. Prof. Mihir Kanti Chaudhuri, Vice Chancellor, Tezpur University will preside over the Inaugural Session.

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The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju felicitating the sportspersons of North-Eastern States, who participated in Rio Olympics, 2016, at a function, in New Delhi on February 28, 2017.

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju felicitating the sportspersons of North-Eastern States, who participated in Rio Olympics, 2016, at a function, in New Delhi on February 28, 2017.

The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a group photograph with the sportspersons of North-Eastern States, who participated in Rio Olympics, 2016, during felicitation ceremony, in New Delhi on February 28, 2017.