AGARTALA, March 15: In a significant step towards fostering economic development, the Government of India has established a High-Level Task Force on Investment Promotion for the North Eastern Region (NER), with Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha appointed as the Convenor.

The decision to form the Task Force was made during the 72nd Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC), held on December 21, 2024, in Agartala, Tripura. The formation of this task force marks an important effort to improve the investment climate across the NER by enhancing collaboration among the region’s leaders and stakeholders.

The Task Force will comprise the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Sikkim, as well as the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), and will focus on creating a favorable investment ecosystem for various sectors, including agriculture, tourism, logistics, IT, and renewable energy. Dr. Saha, expressing his commitment to the cause, highlighted that these strategic sectors hold significant promise for the region’s development. He emphasized that through policy reforms and public-private partnerships (PPPs), the region could become a major hub of economic activity in India.

“We are committed to transforming the North East into a preferred investment destination. Our efforts will be focused on enhancing the ease of doing business, streamlining approval processes, and identifying sectoral hubs for agro-processing, tourism, IT, and renewable energy,” Dr. Saha stated.

The Task Force, led by Dr. Saha, will focus on:

• Assessing the existing investment ecosystem in NER, including reviewing policies, infrastructure, and incentives.
• Developing a strategic roadmap to position NER as a top investment destination, especially in priority sectors.
• Creating investment clusters for high-potential sectors such as agro-processing zones, tourism circuits, IT parks, and renewable energy corridors.
• Attracting both domestic and international investments through targeted strategies and PPP models.
• Recommending policy reforms to streamline the approval process and enhance the ease of doing business in the region.

The Task Force is expected to submit its report within six months, with the goal of accelerating sustainable economic development across the region.