DoNER Minister Chairs High-Level Task Force Meetings to Boost North East Growth

In a major push to accelerate regional development, Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, participated in three High-Level Task Force (HLTF) meetings on October 27, 2025, focusing on key growth sectors — economic corridors, tourism, and agriculture & horticulture.

These Task Forces were constituted by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) earlier this year, following a resolution adopted during the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala on December 21, 2024. Each HLTF is chaired by a Chief Minister from one of the North Eastern (NE) States, with the Union Minister of DoNER and three other NE Chief Ministers as members. The initiative seeks to foster inter-state coordination, policy harmonization, and integrated regional planning, moving away from fragmented, state-specific approaches.

Strengthening the North East Economic Corridor

The High-Level Task Force on the North East Economic Corridor, chaired by Shri Pu Lalduhoma, Chief Minister of Mizoram, convened with participation from Shri Preston Tynsong, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya; Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Industries & Commerce, Act East Policy, EF&CC, Assam; and Shri Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Secretary, Manipur.

The meeting presented a comprehensive roadmap addressing critical gaps in infrastructure and connectivity, aligned with the vision of integrating the North East into India's larger economic grid. Discussions covered road and railway modernization, air connectivity expansion, inland waterways, energy and digital networks, and trade corridor and border infrastructure.

The Union Minister appreciated the in-depth deliberations and requested the Mizoram Government to submit the final HLTF report after incorporating feedback from participating states. Shri Scindia emphasized that the North East Economic Corridor should emerge as a strategic trade and logistics gateway to Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy, positioning the region as a major node in India's international trade routes.

Tourism: Building a Global Destination in the North East

The High-Level Task Force on Tourism, chaired by Shri Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, focused on transforming the North East into a world-class tourism circuit. The meeting was attended by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, along with Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura, and Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim.

Shri Sangma presented a preliminary report outlining key recommendations and challenges. Discussions revolved around developing sustainable tourism infrastructure, promoting eco-tourism and adventure tourism, and strengthening cross-border tourism with neighboring countries.

Shri Scindia underscored the need for a bottom-up approach in tourism planning, highlighting the importance of community participation and regional branding. He called for developing iconic tourist circuits that showcase the region's diverse cultural and natural heritage.

The Union Tourism Minister emphasized that tourism can be the primary driver of economic growth in the North East, creating employment, enhancing rural incomes, and promoting cross-cultural understanding. He also outlined the ongoing infrastructure and promotional initiatives by the Ministry of Tourism, which include rural homestay networks, digital promotion campaigns, and capacity-building programs for local stakeholders.

Advancing Agriculture and Horticulture for Sustainable Prosperity

The HLTF on Agriculture and Horticulture, chaired by Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, focused on strategies to enhance value addition, market access, and sustainable farming in the region. Participants included Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura; Shri Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Assam; and Shri Gabriel D. Wangsu, Minister of Agriculture, Arunachal Pradesh, alongside senior officers from key central ministries and agencies such as NABARD, APEDA, and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

The discussions centered on promoting organic and cluster-based cultivation, developing integrated cold-chain infrastructure, and creating a unified "Organic North East" brand to boost domestic and international market presence. Participants highlighted the need to align agricultural productivity with value chain integration, leveraging the region's natural biodiversity and organic farming legacy.

Shri Scindia emphasized that economic value addition and local entrepreneurship must be at the heart of agricultural policy. He urged the Task Force to prepare short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies to enhance the performance and sustainability of public sector undertakings and farmer cooperatives across the region.

Towards a Unified Development Vision for the North East

The three HLTF meetings collectively underscore a new governance model—one based on collaboration, coordination, and convergence. By aligning state-level initiatives with national priorities, these platforms aim to ensure that development in the North East is regionally integrated, inclusive, and future-ready.

Shri Scindia reaffirmed the Government's commitment to transforming the North East into a hub of connectivity, innovation, and sustainable enterprise, in line with the Vision@2047 framework. He noted that the synergy across the Economic Corridor, Tourism, and Agriculture-Horticulture Task Forces will help establish a robust foundation for economic diversification, youth employment, and enhanced regional integration.