New Delhi, October 17: Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Friday described the Northeast as India’s “growth engine”, highlighting a year of record achievements in investment, infrastructure, governance, and connectivity. He was speaking at a joint media briefing on the one-year achievements (August 2024–September 2025) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Department of Posts, and Department of Telecommunications.
Addressing the media, Scindia said, “The Northeast today represents the spirit of a new India – empowered, connected, and future-ready. Guided by the Prime Minister’s vision, the region has transformed from a frontier into a front-runner.” The briefing was attended by Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Sukanta Majumdar, and MDoNER Secretary Chanchal Kumar.
MDoNER reported its highest-ever expenditure of ₹3,447.71 crore in FY 2024–25, marking a 74.4% increase over the previous year and more than 200% growth in three years. The ministry attributed this to digital monitoring via the Poorvottar Vikas Setu portal and stricter fiscal discipline, achieving 97% project inspection coverage and 91% operationalisation of completed projects.
To drive inter-state collaboration, MDoNER has introduced Chief Minister-led Sectoral High-Level Task Forces across eight key sectors, including tourism, agriculture, handicrafts, infrastructure, and investment. Infrastructure projects such as the Shillong Airport expansion, alternative alignment to NH-10 in Sikkim, and Kailashahar Airport development in Tripura have been fast-tracked through an inter-ministerial mechanism.
The region attracted unprecedented investment commitments this year. The Rising North East Investors Summit 2025 in New Delhi drew eight Chief Ministers, eight Union Ministers, over 100 ambassadors, and 108 PSUs, securing commitments worth ₹4.48 lakh crore. Additionally, the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav 2024 generated ₹2,326 crore in investment leads, while a banking conclave in Agartala expanded MSME credit access and set up new branches and ATMs.
Through the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi), over 5,300 MSMEs received support, mobilising ₹766 crore for start-ups and enterprises across the region. A unified Brand Northeast strategy has been launched to position the region as a global tourism destination, promoting products such as Muga Silk from Assam, Lakadong Turmeric from Meghalaya, Polo from Manipur, and Queen Pineapple from Tripura.
Eight iconic tourism sites, including Kaziranga, Ziro, Sohra, Thenzawl, Matabari, Kisama, Namchi, and Moirang, are being developed as world-class attractions under public-private partnerships, contributing to a 45% increase in rural incomes.
Connectivity has also expanded rapidly. The region now has 17 airports, including four in Arunachal Pradesh, compared to nine earlier, and all Northeast states are expected to be connected by rail by 2029. Strategic projects like the Kaladan and India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway aim to position the Northeast as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
The government is diversifying the regional economy through agriculture and industry. Under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm, over 68,000 hectares have been brought under cultivation. The Agarwood sector has seen a six-fold increase in export quota, while the bamboo sector, through 22 projects worth ₹126.7 crore, has trained 2,587 artisans and created Amazon-linked market access models, boosting rural entrepreneurship and exports.
Scindia emphasised that the Northeast’s young population, high literacy rate, and strategic location give it unmatched potential. “With 70% of its people below 28 years, the Northeast is not just participating in India’s growth story – it is driving it,” he said. He added that the region is no longer seen as India’s periphery but as a critical gateway to growth, trade, and global engagement.
The briefing highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Northeast has emerged as a key driver of India’s economic and strategic transformation, setting benchmarks in governance, investment, and connectivity.
