Guwahati: Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi said that the north-eastern region of the country has the potential to become a future hub of organic products, renewable energy, international tourism, and the country's gateway to ASEAN countries.

Speaking on the brainstorming session of a conclave on Atmanirbhar North East through science and technology interventions at Cotton University today, Mukhi said that the government of the Centre has been very committed to the rapid infrastructural and economic development of the region in the last seven years. He also said that considering the region's strategic location, the Central government under the leadership of the Prime Minister took several initiatives to develop international routes with the 10 ASEAN countries.

The Governor said that the reopening of the trade routes with the ASEAN countries which were closed for the region since independence will reopen the gates of economic development of the entire region.

He said that the objective of transforming the Indian economy into a five trillion dollar economy will not be possible without unfolding the commercial and economic potential of the North East. The NDA government, therefore, as a complete deviation from the earlier stand of the Central government took a keen interest in the development of the northeastern region.

In his speech, he also said that the North East was one of the richest regions of the country. However, after independence, the region lost its sheen. During the British period, the economy of the region was dependent on the use of resources such as tea, forest produce, crude oil, etc.

Post-independence, the entire region became land-locked due to the partition of the county leading to the closure of all the international trade routes and sea links. Moreover, after independence, there was no credible effort either for the speedy economic development of the region. As a result, economic deprivation. engulfed the region. This economic deprivation led to the generation of a feeling of alienation which ultimately led to several other problems, Prof Mukhi added.

However, he emphasized that a concerted and planned effort for the rapid and systematic development of the North East started in 2001 with the creation of a separate ministry that is the Ministry for Development of the North Eastern Region (DONER). Moreover, the Act East Policy thoroughly overhauled the focus of development of the North East to ensure action-oriented projects and outcome-based policies. This new approach created and developed a new narrative of development for the entire North East to utilize its potential of becoming an organic hub, international tourism, and India's gateway to ASEAN countries, the Governor observed.

The conclave organized by North East Centre For Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in collaboration with Vijnana Bharati, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, and Cotton University was attended among others by the Director general of NECTAR Prof Arun Sharma, Director, CSIR National Institute of Scientific Communications and Policy Research Dr. Ranjana Agarwal, Vice-Chancellor, Cotton University Prof Bhabesh Ch Goswami, national organizing secretary of Vijnana Bharati Jayant Sahasrabudhe, national coordinator of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Prof Virendra K Vi jay and MD, NRL SK Barua.