The Indian diaspora were also assured about the peace and normalcy returning to the region.

Appealing to the Overseas Indians at special session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the Union minister for development of north-eastern region (DoNER) and mines, Bijoy Krishna Handique said that the Indian government’s Look East Policy has a great significance for the north-eastern region whose strategic location makes it the bridgehead to South-East Asia.

The north-eastern India consists of eight states, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. The region has a long international boundary with China (Tibet), Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh.

“The only land route from India to South-East Asia is through the north-eastern region. Some of the important trade routes are being opened up. The region can again regain its place as a centre of flourishing trade with East and South-East Asia through the land routes to China and Myanmar and through the sea ports – Chittagong and Kolkata. Recent initiativesin improving relations with neighbouring countries, particularly the MoU with Myanmar, restoring border trade and more importantly, the Ganga treaty with Bangladesh have kindled hopes of resurgence of the region. The work Multi-modal Kaladan Project, which will give Mizoram access to Sittwe Port in Myanmar, is in progress,” he said.

He informed that the central government was executing Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Ltd in Dibrugarh in Assam at an estimated revised cost of Rs 9,400 crore. This will give a scope for number of downstream plastic industries in the region.

A Buddhist tourism circuit connecting historic Buddhist sites in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh with Thailand is being planned out. India is in dialogue with Thailand in this connection. The Union ministry for development of north-eastern region is planning to set up a Centre for South East Asian Studies at Central University, Imphal in Manipur to emphasise the study of South-East Asian languages and culture to further cultural relations as part of India’s Look East Policy.

Handique marketed the potential of north-east India by saying the region is identified as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, it host species-rich tropical rain forests and supports diverse flora and fauna and medicinal plants. The forest cover in the region constitutes 52% of its total geographical area. One-third of the country’s bamboo area, comprising two-third of bamboo stock, lies in this region. Similarly, reserves of petroleum and natural gas in the region constitute a fifth of the country’s total potential. More than 60% of India’s hydropower potential lies here.

Entire region is rich in mineral deposits. Assam has deposits of silica sand which lends prospects for a glass industry. It also has deposits of rare earth. Nagaland is opening up for investments in coal mining and so also Meghalaya in uranium mining. There are cement, steel, alloy, coal and coke industries in the region.

Handique invited investments in infrastructure, food processing, IT and tourism with a view to augment employment potential as 80% of the people are highly dependant on small farms which are not much remunerative.

Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi said that huge amount of public spending in national projects like railways, roads, airports and defence are in pipeline. “roughly Rs two lakh crore is likely to be spent on all sectors, which will spin the economies of the North-East India. Investment in industries alone in Assam across the sectors is to the tune of over Rs 25,000 crore,” he said.

He called for private investments in education and healthcare sectors.

Meghalaya Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma said that the state government would establish two medical colleges with private sector participation. He said that the general perception that north-east India being insurgency-ridden was a misconception as there were peaceful states like Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya. He invited investments in education, healthcare and tourism.

Minister in the Tripura government, Jitendra Chowdhury said that the state government was in the process of setting up a bamboo park. Tripura is a major source of natural rubber and the rubber production is likely to increase to 100,000 tonne.