The hilly States of North East Region are endowed with abundant natural resources and blessed with varied rivers, wild life, flora and fauna and called it ‘pool of Bio-resources’- Chowna Mein, Dy CM, Arunachal Pradesh
Itanagar
Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Chowna Mein said that huge investments are likely to be pumped-in in the North East Region in coming years which will usher in unprecedented development in this hilly region. He said this while attending the National Seminar on ‘Hill Economies and Sustainable Development– Challenges & Prospects’ organised by Centre for Development Studies, Department of Economics at Rajiv Gandhi University today.
He said that the hilly States of North East Region are endowed with abundant natural resources and blessed with varied rivers, wild life, flora and fauna and called it ‘pool of Bio-resources’. It has high prospects of development such as agro-forestry and horticulture, plantation crops, organic farming, animal husbandry, recreation and tourism, hydro-power, mining and quarrying, cottage and small scale industries, agro and forest based industries. And added that the need of the hour is to find out ways and transform these resources in to an economic driving force.
He said, “there is need to design region specific policy to overcome the constraints in the hill States and to reap the benefits from comparative advantages”. He asked the experts “to come out with concrete suggestions from the outcome of such discourse and help the State Govt in framing a road map for policies to tap and convert the huge potentials in to a viable economy”.
He further said to incorporate the feasible and innovative recommendations in planning and policy making of the Govt.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tamo Mibang in his speech said that the peace is pre-requisite for development of any region and good connectivity is another important aspect to propel desire economic development.
Prof. Prabhat Kumar Pankaj, Director, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur who was also one of the founding faculty member of Rajiv Gandhi University in the State in his key note address emphasis on parameters that bring in happiness to the people. He said that any measure of Sustainable Development should enhance well being and happiness of the people. He suggested for introduction of courses in schools and colleges to promote happiness and also for adopting alternative paradigm on measuring development and achieving holistic well being in Govt programme and policies.
Prof S K Nayak, Head, Prof N C Roy and Prof A Mitra, Department of Economics also spoke on the occasion.
Scholars from Bangalore, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal and other States are participating in the two days Seminar which will deal on various topics pertaining to Hill States such as tourism, problem of urbanisation, problem of migration & industrialisation, livelihood diversification, gender issues, agricultural issues, PDS & food security, mobilisation of resources and Bio-resources, etc.
