Highlights:
- Constituted in 1971 by an Act of Parliament, the North Eastern Council (NEC) is the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the north-eastern region which consists of the eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Objectives:
- Playing a coordinating role in planned development of this region.
- Frame issues of common interest and advise the state governments and the Centre as to what actions need to be taken on them, particularly in fields such as economic and social planning, inter-state transport and communications, power and flood control, prioritising of projects and schemes, etc.
Suggestions offered during the 70th Plenary Session
- An evaluation of the report on the progress of afforestation in the NE states was an exigent requirement to gauge the impact of the campaign aimed at securing this objective.
- Empowering the MSME sector and self-help groups (SHGs) to fulfil the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat and collaboration between NGOs and private stakeholders in the education and health care sectors.
- During this Plenary Session the North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) Mobile Application, which would help register artisans and weavers online and collect authentic data through the app, and is also expected to provide training through specially designed online courses and help the beneficiaries and redress grievances, was launched.
- The Union Home Minister laid particular stress on fruitful use of the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), which would boost tourism, agriculture and connectivity.