Post-COVID Northeast to be favourite tourist, trade destination: Dr Jitendra

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that Post-COVID Northeast will emerge as a favourite tourist and trade destination in India.
Speaking as the chief guest in the 8th edition of North East Festival, Dr Jitendra said that North Eastern Region will take a lead for India to emerge as an economic power with the support of its huge natural and human skill resources.
He said, the region will truly work as the “New Engine” of economic growth and added that it had emerged as an alternative to the European tourist destinations by remaining relatively pandemic free, when other parts of the world were heavily infested with the virus.
Dr Jitendra expressed hope that holiday lovers from the next season will definitely prefer Northeast for its pristine natural beauty over other global tourist destinations. He also added that the North Eastern Region will lead the growth story of India, when the rest of the world is looking for economic resurgence through trade in post-pandemic times.
The North Eastern region, said Dr Jitendra will exploit its vast untapped natural resources including Bamboo that could propel Atmanirbhar Abhiyan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by imbibing “Vocal for Local” mantra. He said that recently the Central Government raised the import duty by 25 percent on raw bamboo items, which will help the domestic bamboo industries like furniture, handicrafts and Agarbatti making in a big way and promote use of bamboo as building material.
He also referred to the amendment in the 100-year-old Indian Forest Act brought about by the Modi government in 2017, as a result of which, home grown bamboo has been exempted from it in order to enhance livelihood opportunities through bamboo.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that there has been significant development in terms of road, rail and air connectivity, helping facilitate the movement of goods and persons not only across the region but also across the country.
He said that the youth of the region has become more aspirational in recent times and will play an important role to take the region to greater economic heights.
Meanwhile, in another related programme, Dr Jitendra Singh released a book on Mizoram written by the Governor of Mizoram, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai. The book is a compilation of poems written by the Governor during his stay at the Raj Bhawan at Aizawl.
Referring to the Act East policy of the government, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the North Eastern Region has a special role to play in the promotion of trade and business relations with ASEAN as it is the gateway to the growing economies of South East Asian Nations.
He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had changed the policy of “Look East” to “Act East” to take the bilateral cooperation to newer heights.