GUWAHATI, March 15 - With a view to formulate a new industrial policy for North East, a NITI Aayog team led by its CEO Amitabh Kant held an interactive session with stakeholders, including representatives of the NE states and industry bodies, here.
Amitabh Kant said that the feedback generated from the fruitful and constructive interactive session would immensely benefit the Government to draft a suitable comprehensive policy taking all the inputs into consideration.
He assured that new policy would be forward-looking and progressive which would enhance power, connectivity, infrastructure facilities to capture the South East Asian markets. He further mentioned that the new policy would focus long-term sustainable development with thrust on local entrepreneurship.
�Every State has their core competencies and it should excel in that area,� he said, calling upon the stakeholders to display the administrative and political will to be the driving force so that North East becomes the catalyst for industrial growth not only of the region but of the entire nation.
Ravneet Kaur, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), said that since the NEIIPP is expiring on March 31, the Central Government is actively considering formulation of a new industrial policy which is multi-sectoral, and addresses the states� concerns.
Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary, DIPP, assured that the new policy would address optimum utilisation of local resources and talent which would guarantee employment generation and value addition.
�Focus would be on key thrust areas like tourism, hospitality, bamboo, power, rubber and food processing which would make the impact visible,� he said, adding that an amount of Rs 600 crore would be disbursed to the North East States in April and therefore called upon all the States to update the subsidy details of respective industrial units since subsidies would be released through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from April onwards.
Ravi Capoor, Additional Chief Secretary of Industries and Commerce Department, Assam in a comprehensive presentation highlighted that North East holds an advantageous strategic location for the vast markets of South East Asia waiting to be explored. He requested the Committee headed by NITI Aayog CEO to include the Central Government�s Act East Policy in the new industrial policy to attract investors to the State. He requested the officials to continue the policy for a period of another 10 years as the NEIIPP, 2007 has immensely benefitted in surging ahead of the industrial scenario of the region as it has drawn various industries to set up their units in this region. He also asked the Government of India to include power subsidy and set up an industrial corridor in the upcoming Policy.
All the state and trade bodies� representatives spoke at length about their current issues and mitigation measures to overcome the challenges. They also highlighted the potential sectors which hold promise for employment generation and sustainable development like food processing, cold storage, power generators, handloom and apparel, medical tourism and hydro power sectors etc.
Today�s session was attended by over eighteen trade and industrial bodies and associations including All Assam Small Scale Industries Association (AASSIA), All India Manufacturing Organisation (AIMO), Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurs Association (APEDA), Confederation of Industries, Meghalaya, Byrnihat Industries Association, North East Small Scale Industries Association (NESSIA), ASSOCHAM, FICCI, ICC, FINER, PHDCCI, Laghu Udyog Bharti etc.
