AIZAWL, Sept 19 - Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan today stressed the need for finding new development trajectories to help boost the NE region that holds a very strategic place for India in terms of geo-politics in South Asia.
Addressing a �Tri-national conference of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar on Regional Cooperation through Mizoram� at ICFAI University Mizoram here, the Governor opined that despite its strategic location, the region is characterised by low levels of income, low employment guarantees, low industrialisation and overall low levels of development.
�The economic reforms like that of the 1990s seemed to have little impact on the overall development of the region and therefore, one has to find new development trajectories to help boost the region,� Rajasekharan said.
The conference was organised by ICFAI University Mizoram�s department of political science, in collaboration with Mizoram Planning & Programme Implementation department.
The Governor hoped that the tri-nation conference would present an opportunity to discuss collectively on cross border trade, security of the region and drug trafficking. He emphasised that cultural exchange programmes could also facilitate relations between the three nations as there are many shared cultural and historical backgrounds between them. He said that this academic platform will produce critical and positive thinking for better relations and cooperation between the three nations.
Addressing the conference, Planning & Programme Implementation Minister Lalsawta said that the conference will provide a platform to discuss on regional cooperation between the three countries and the deliberations will pave a way for better cooperation. He also said that peaceful coexistence and regional cooperation in matters of trade and other areas will be beneficial to the region.
Ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhyaya, former Ambassador of India to Myanmar, Afghanistan and Syria highlighted the significance of North East India and in particular Mizoram to the region. He suggested for investments in education, health infrastructure, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), cultural exchange, tourism, food processing, environment protection and connectivity for the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, Asst High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India suggested improvement in connectivity for viable commercial activities and investment in education infrastructure. He also said the investments in addition to relaxation of rules for visitors will eventually attract more tourists for the State.
