Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 253/16

SELF HELP GROUP FROM MAWKYRNOT VILLAGE WINS THE PRESTIGIOUS INDIA BIO DIVERSITY AWARDS 2016

Meghalaya has bagged the ‘India Biodiversity Awards 2016’ under the category ‘sustainable use of Bio-resources’. The awards were presented by Shri. Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra and Shri Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister for Forests, Environment & Climate Change at a function held at Mumbai to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, on 22nd May 2016. Seng Treilang Association, a self help group from Mawkyrnot village, under Pynursla C&RD Block has been conferred with the award in recognition of its contribution in the promotion of root bridges and protection of their surroundings which include the longest known root bridge during the last few years. It may be mentioned that since 2012, the India Biodiversity Awards are conferred upon eligible organizations or individuals in recognition of their local actions that reflect excellence in biodiversity governance and conservation. The Meghalaya Biodiversity Board filed two nominations for the awards this year, out of which the Mawkyrnot root bridges was shortlisted for further evaluation in the category ‘sustainable use of biological resources’. After a detailed process of evaluation including field visits by a team of Jury, the award has finally come to the State. It may also be mentioned that the living root bridges are unique to Meghalaya, standing testimony to the traditional knowledge of the Khasi and the Jaintia communities. There can be no better example for ‘sustainable use of bio resources’ than the root bridges.

Press Release No. 254/16

PRIME MINISTER ADDRESSES 65TH NEC PLENARY MEETING

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 65th Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in the presence of the Union Minister of State for DoNER and NEC Chairman Dr. Jitendra Singh at the State Convention Centre, here, on his maiden visit to the State on May 27, 2016. The two day Plenary Session was attended among others by the Governors of North Eastern States V. Shanmuganathan, P. B. Acharya, Lt. Gen. Nirbhay Sharma, Shrinivas Dadasaheb Patil, Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa and Tathagata Roy and Chief Ministers Dr. Mukul Sangma, Sarbananda Sonowal, O. Ibobi Singh, Kalikho Pul, Pawan Chamling, Lal Thanhawla and T. R. Zeliang and members C.K. Das and Prof.Gangmumei Kamei. Expressing his happiness to be a part of the NEC Plenary, the Prime Minister hoped that the deliberations in the meeting would help to speed up development in the region. While acknowledging the contributions of the Council to the growth of the North East Region, he also said the NEC needs to introspect and assess the extent to which it had been able to achieve its objectives, to re-orient and upgrade itself as a state of the art resource centre for NE states enabling the states and implementing agencies to properly plan and execute projects and promote research and provide strategic policy vision for the region. Modi also suggested that NEC could look at developing a specialized domain expertise either by itself or through an agency model to assist states and central ministries in their development planning and problem solving needs. This, he said, would enable imbibing of good governance and best practices in the region. He also said it could consider focusing on issues of livelihood, entrepreneurship, venture funds, start-ups and skill development for generating jobs.

Stating that his government has been focusing on development of North East region through its pro-active “Act East Policy”, he said that the Centre was focusing on reducing the isolation of the region by improving all round connectivity through road, rail, telecom, power and waterways sectors. “If the western region of the country can develop, if other regions of the country can develop, I see no reason why the North East region of the country cannot develop”, he said, adding, “North East region is very important to us for strategic reasons and it is my conviction that we have to bring this region at par with the other developed regions of the country”. He said more than Rs.30,000crore have been earmarked for the North East region and stressed the need to ensure that the money is spent well for the development of the region. Stating his belief in cooperative and competitive federalism, the Chief Minister said that adequate authority and resources should be given to states that are strong and want to grow further, and assistance to those states that are not so strong. “In this regard and based on the report of the Committee of Chief Ministers, we have decided to continue to provide assistance in the ratio of 90:10 for core Central schemes and 80:20 for non-core schemes to the North Eastern States” he added. The Prime Minister also said that taking advantage of North East as the gateway to South East Asia, “we are opening up both road and rail routes to our neighbouring countries” for economic development of the region. Modi said a specialized highways construction agency for the North East - “National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation” has set up its branch offices, one each in every North Eastern State. As of today, it is implementing 34 projects in NE States covering a length of 1001 kms at a total cost of over Rs. 10,000 crore, he said. In the road sector, he said there was a need to keep in view the special land and weather conditions of this area and to be careful in using appropriate technologies in the construction of roads in the region. He also informed the meeting of the improved internet connectivity project for the North East in collaboration with Bangladesh which would make available 10 GB of seamless alternate bandwidth and benefit the region tremendously. For development of railways in the region, Indian Railways has commissioned about 900 kms of broad gauge in the last two years, leaving only about 50 km meter gauge lines to be converted in 2016-17, he said, adding that a 132 km part of third alternative connectivity route to North East - New Maynaguri-Jogighopa - has also been commissioned. Acknowledging the tremendous scope for adventure tourism in the region, the Prime Minister stated that if developed and promoted well, it can emerge as the biggest employer in the region. He said that the NE states should try to make best use of thematic circuit for the North East region identified by the Union Ministry of Tourism to develop tourist circuits and added that the region could look into combining a few popular destinations of the neighbouring countries with their tourism circuits to further attract tourists.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged the potential of the youth of the region and their language skills and said that the Government has approved North East BPO promotion scheme in the Digital India programme for creation of employment opportunities. He urged upon the NE states to get these BPOs operationalized in their respective states to promote growth and provide jobs to the youth. He also said that NEC could play an important role in development of organic farming in the region. “The North East can become the organic food basket for the country”, he added Stating that a there is a large rural population in NE region, Modi informed of the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Mission initiated by the Government to bring in economic, social and basic development of the rural areas in a cluster model and said that NE states should endeavour to make use of this mission for the development of the rural areas. Earlier, the Governors and Chief Ministers of the NE states also made their presentations before the Prime Minister and sought for more funds for the NEC to be able to live up to the expectations of the people of the region. Union Minister of State for DoNER, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in his brief address, said it was a historic occasion not only because it was a day when the Ministry of DoNER came to being, but also because this was the first time after nearly 40 years that a Prime Minister attended the NEC Plenary meeting and that such a Plenary meeting was being held in Shillong after a gap of 10 years. Calling North East a diversity within diversity, Mr. Singh said there was a lot that the the rest of India could learn from the region. More presentations for development of the North East region was made by few of the departments, including, Border Management, Railways, Civil Aviation, etc on the second day of the Plenary meeting before the arrival of the Prime Minister.

Press Release No. 255/16

PM DEDICATES PROJECTS TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTH EAST

All roads led to Polo Ground, Shillong today to witness the historic moments being unveiled for the people of North Eastern Region when the Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi spelled out his Government’s initiatives and schemes to bring about a sustainable development in the region. The Prime Minister was accompanied by dignitaries from the Government of India including Union Railways Minister, Shri. Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister of DoNER, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Governors and Chief Ministers of North Eastern States and others. In his public address, the Prime Minister said that the North East is a strategically located region with huge potential for development and economic growth adding that this ‘Gateway to South East Asia’ has a great scope to further trade relations with neighbouring countries through different means of transportation. The Prime Minister also laid stress on the Act East Policy, which is a Government’s mission to bring the region at par with the rest of the country. He informed that his Government is committed to see that proper infrastructures are being put in place so that the region could derive the benefits. Informing that Sikkim has recently been declared the 1st Organic State in the country, the Prime Minister said that the NE region has great potential of becoming the ‘Organic Food Basket of India’. This, he said, will increase the income and raise the standard of living of farmers. Expressing happiness that the Government of Meghalaya has launched Mission Football aimed at tapping budding talents at the grassroot level, the Prime Minister said that he is aware that North East has a passion for football and that the region especially Meghalaya has produced great players worth mentioning like Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Aibor Khongjee and Marlangki Suting who have brought laurels to the State and the country. He announced that the Government of India through the Ministry of DoNER has approved a sum of 48 crores for development of football in the North East. Before his address, the Prime Minister of India flagged off the Bhairabi (Mizoram)-Silchar (Assam) Passenger Train, Jiribam (Manipur)-Silchar (Assam) Passenger Train and Kamakhya-Katra Express (Weekly). The Prime Minister also laid the base for the construction of the International Multi Sports Stadium at Ampati, South West Garo Hills and also dedicated to the people of the nation the DOPPLER Weather Radar at Sohra, the wettest place on earth. With the Radar in operation, the Prime Minister is optimistic that natural calamities caused by rainfall and landslides could be reduced to a great extent. Several awards were also given away by the Prime Minister which included the winner of the North East Leads the Way Run Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Cleanest State and Cleanest City of North East which was bagged by Sikkim and Gangtok respectively, Cleanest locality in Shillong bagged by Mission Compound and Cleanest commercial area in Shillong bagged by Laitumkhrah Main Road. Before the main function, the Prime Minister inaugurated the exhibition where artifacts and products produced by Self Help Groups of the North East were being displayed.