'NE States should play more pro-active role'

ACT EAST POLICY

Staff Correspondent

Shillong, March 24:  The Act East Policy of the BJP-led Central government will work on the ground through infrastructural and connectivity developments, observed a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Shamika Ravi. 

Speaking to The Sentinel on Saturday on the sidelines of a semir held at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Ravi said, “The Act East Policy will work on the ground if a lot of Centrally driven infrastructure and connectivity projects are put in place.” She, however, added that local ideas should be imbibed to make such ideas fruitful.

“There is a lot of scope to think of local technologies. Each State has its own interests and capabilities. Policies should be evolved on that basis,” felt the economist. She said the Act East Policy needs the State governments of the northeastern region to play a more pro-active role.

When asked on the northeastern region’s strength centred on agriculture and growing migration from rural areas to urban areas, Ravi said it is tural transformation. She, however, added that a pragmatic policy should also be put in place to address the issue.

Agriculture is much more than mere cultivation, she said, as she dwelt on marketing, distribution, procurement and various other dimensions of agriculture that can only be driven by education.