Young leaders of Northeast interact with Arun Jaitley

 New Delhi, January 16: A twelve-member delegation of Young Leaders Connect (YLC) from Northeast India met the Union Minister of Fince, Arun Jaitley at New Delhi, recently. Chaired by Bhaichung Bhutia, Indian Football icon, the delegation comprised of Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State, MHA, Sushmita Dev, MP, Gaurav Gogoi and other dignitaries.  Towards reaching a common goal of preparing North-East for the next level, YLC engaged with Jaitley and discussed and deliberated on several topics and issues related to the region.

YLC seeks to create a platform for expression of ideas, that can harness the immense potential and the strategic location of the North-East and transform it into a model region by drawing a roadmap for developing it in a sustaible, time-bound and planned manner. With this objective, YLC submitted a set of recommendations to the Fince Minister to ensure optimum utilization of the rich tural resources and human resource base in the region.

The YLC group suggested that a special employment-linked skill development drive along the lines of “Udaan” for Jammu and Kashmir could be launched in the North-East as well. Such an initiative would ensure adequate employment or entrepreneurship opportunities and put more emphasis on youth development. The need of the hour is also to create new higher education institutions (HEIs) even while strengthening existing ones through improvement in their governce, curricula etc. Vocatiol training, scientific education, research centers and institutes of excellence are needed for the development of the North-East’s youth.

YLC also stressed on governce and policy related issues. There have been government policies aiming to promote the north East region but recent modifications have negatively impacted the desired objectives of these policies. Hence, YLC recommended a few points like strengthening of the North East council (NEC), better coordition amongst agencies focusing on North east, ensuring proper utilization of development funds meant for the region, reverting to the origil composition of the central assistance funds including special category status, special plan assistance, special central assistance, normal central assistance and north east industrial and investment promotion policy. New and pending projects to connect the north east region through road, rail and air must be given special priority including connecting state capitals through rail, intra-regiol and intertiol air connectivity, multi-modal Kaladan project and Asian trilateral highway.

Young leaders Connect believes that urgent focus on these recommendations will enhance peace and prosperity in the region. Jaitley was happy to see the initiatives of the young delegation and encouraged the group to continue their good work for the benefit of the region. He also urged the young leaders to focus on the good governce of the Northeast. This was stated in a press release.

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