North East Festival in Delhi begins
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 08, 2013:
Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission today inaugurated the two-day North-East Festival at Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA) here which is being organized to showcase the North Eastern region of India, to celebrate its cultural & traditional heritage and to create awareness of the region to mainstream India.
The festival was organised by Trend MMS, a leading cultural trust of North East in association with Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER), North East MP's Forum, Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA) and supported by Northeast India Image Managers (NEIim).
In his address, Dr Ahluwalia said that the North Eastern Region would see a dramatic change in connectivity sector in the region in the next few years.
He said that the Eleventh Five year Plan had the thrust on infrastructure development and connectivity in the North Eastern Region.
The connectivity included road, rail, air and waterway, he added.
He stated that the Planning Commission is organizing a meeting on January 28 next year in New Delhi with the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh to review the progress made on infrastructure in North East Region.
The meeting will be attended by all Chief Ministers of the region.
Prior to the mega meeting, he said, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will organize another meeting at Guwahati to discuss the aspects on what the people expect on infrastructure development in the region and the private sector's role in the development.
The meeting will also be attended by all the Chief Ministers of the region.
Pawan Singh Ghatowar, Union Minister of DoNER made the introductory speech of the festival and the North East Region.
He also highlighted the importance of connectivity in the region and the need to make awareness of the Look East Policy.
Arnab Goswami, Editor in Chief of Times Now expressed his view that the North East Region had been divided into many pieces and there was no totality of the region.
He proposed to establish a common identity and integration.
He announced that the Times Now would launch the debates on the Central Political Parties' commitment on the North East Region in the coming General election.
Dr Mukul Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya said that there was a wrong perception of the foreigners towards the North East Region that the region was with insurgency problems.
The advisory of the Embassies in India stated that the tourists should visit the region in their own risk.
He should erase such negative image of the region.
He also stated that the bureaucrat red-tapism in the Centre had created a lot of hurdles in the development of the region.
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