Resurgent Northeast

A one-day conclave titled “Resurgent Northeast,” organized in Guwahati on Saturday by Doordarshan Assam, not only brought together a galaxy of eminent persons from across the region to talk about various aspects of the theme but also brought to the fore the changing socio-economic scenario that the region has experienced in the last nine years or so. While inaugurating the event, Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria said that the theme of “Resurgent Northeast” itself resonated deeply with the aspirations and potential of the region. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s take was that the Northeast was heading towards becoming a vibrant economic hub because of the Central government’s unstinted commitment to the growth and development of the region. Participating in the deliberations, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and Ayush, on his part, asserted that the landmark decisions taken by the Union Government have enabled good governance and ease of living for the citizens of the region. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for adopting a specific policy aimed at making the Northeastern states on par with the developed states of the country. He particularly described connectivity as the game-changer and pointed out that there has been a sea change in all kinds of connectivity, be it highways, railways, bridges across the Brahmaputra, inland waterways, or air connectivity. Sarma also pointed out the rapid changes taking place in the healthcare sector of Assam, which have also impacted the region. Sarma said certain things have become a reality about which people did not even dare to dream before Narendra Modi took up the reins of the country. The “Resurgent Northeast” conclave also had several panel discussions as part of it, in which experts from various fields discussed issues like fading insurgency, tackling unemployment, change of mindset, better connectivity, and the impact of these on various economic sectors, including tourism. Tourism, said experts taking part in the discussions, has also emerged as a significant game-changer, as the message of the return of peace and the rapid decline of insurgency-related incidents has gone viral across the globe because of the positive experiences shared by tourists who have already made it to the Northeast in the past few years. Doordarshan has a massive reach, and the positive messages emanating from Saturday’s conclave must have touched a million people across the region.