DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday asked MPs from the eight northeastern states to play a proactive role in the various initiatives and development projects launched by the Narendra Modi government in the last 14 months.
The minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) was speaking at a luncheon hosted by him for over 40 MPs, including former Lok Sabha speaker and Northeast MPs Forum president P.A. Sangma, according to an official statement.
He said that soon after taking over charge of the DoNER ministry, he started the process of regular interaction with the MPs from the northeast in order to keep them onboard in every decision-making, because they were important stakeholders for anything planned for the region.
The minister observed that the various plans under the North Eastern Council (NEC) and the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) take into cognizance the priorities laid down by the state governments and therefore, in order to avoid any possibility of miscommunication and also to ensure wider involvement, the process of regular and exclusive interaction with the MPs of the region has proved highly fruitful.
"This becomes all the more imperative considering the fact that across the party lines, the region has a huge number of MPs who, regardless of their political affiliations, share certain common views which are of great significance for the development of the region," he said.
Referring to some of the innovative programmes in the offing, Jitendra Singh said the Organic Farming Mission, inspired by the prime minister, was already in the pipeline and after going through the process of inter-ministerial consultation, it would be placed before the cabinet.
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An amount of Rs.125 crore has been earmarked for this mission in the current financial year, he said.
"This initiative will also reinforce 'Act East Policy' initiated by the prime minister," he said.
Jitendra Singh also informed the MPs that a new initiative called "DoNER at Doorstep", under which officials of the ministry hold camp secretariats by rotation every month in each of the eight states has proved highly popular.
"It has also sent out a positive signal that for redressal of their grievances, people of northeast need not travel to Delhi but on the other hand, DoNER can also travel to their doorstep," he said.
The minister took note of the suggestions given by different MPs and said he would expect to be in regular touch with them and would also feel obliged to be guided by veterans like Sangma.